July, 1955
Democratic Messenger
Footnote: Pictured is the Wilson Hotel in preparation for demolition to make way for the new J.J. Newberry store at the corner of Market and Second Street. The old Newberry's was located across the street in the middle of the block.
(Reader comment regarding Newberry's and story below about the Pocomoke Centennial.)
Anonymous said...
I can remember sitting in the waiting room of my dentist, Leon Meinster, and watching construction on the Newberry's building. What struck me was the I-beams holding up the 2nd floor were a bright, vivid orange color.
The Wilson Hotel on the corner of Market and 2nd Streets had no foundation and was held up by semi-pyramidal concrete blocks supporting wooden beams. My father and grandfather salvaged many of those blocks and used them to support some of their outbuildings.
The centennial celebration in 1965 also featured a beard growing contest and about a dozen local men gave up shaving for a few months. The winner was Bobby Judd and George Henderson came in second, although most people thought George had the best beard.
The director of the minstrel show was W. Ross Hockersmith although nobody called him that; he was known as just plain "Will'. He later went on to be indicted or convicted of some malfeasance in office although what it was escaped me at this time.
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PPE Footnote: Hockersmith was a former Worcester County State's Attorney and in May of 1966 was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to forgery and embezzlement.
August, 1965
The Daily Times (Salisbury)
October, 1933
The Sunday Morning Star (The Delmarva Star, Wilmington)
March, 2002
The Daily Times (Salisbury)
1950's .. We had a neighbor, Mr. Ernest Dickinson, who was a member of the Pocomoke fire department. He didn't drive. When the fire whistle blew he got on his bicycle and started peddling while on the lookout for a passing motorist to give him a ride to the firehouse on 5th street which was two or three miles from our neighborhood. When the fire whistle sounded and folks wanted to know where the fire was they would go down to the firehouse to read a posted location. -tk
1975 .. Ex-teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa disappears and would never be found.
(New York Daily News)
The Time Machine is a weekly feature I've enjoyed researching and compiling on The Pocomoke Public Eye since 2011. I have fond memories of growing up in Pocomoke City and welcome reader contributions we can share about things you've read, remember, or were told relating to our Pocomoke/Eastern shore area...a sentence, a paragraph, or more all fine. Just email it.