TIME MACHINE: 1953, 1887, 1906.

(Reader-friendly viewing of news archives/historical archives material)

May, 1953

(The Salisbury Times)

January, 1887

(The Peninsula Enterprise)

May, 1906

(Ledger-Enterprise, Pocomoke City)

Worcester County:Interesting Facts About the County, as given by the State Bureau of Statistics and Information:

(Excerpts) 

The population of the county is now over 21,000, and the assessed valuation of property for the county is $5,769,123, while the tax rate for 1905 was $1.00.

Thriving villages are Stockton and Girdletree, from each of which are shipped annually about 40,000 barrels of oysters, each of which contains a thriving bank, canning factory, and barrel factory, and also good schools and churches. Other growing villages are Newark, Bishopville, Whaleyville and Showells, each of which contain factories which are adding rapidly to the prosperity of the people.

The steady growth of Ocean City as a summer resort has made an excellent local market for truck, and the farmers on the mainland derive a large revenue therefrom.

There are 1,987 farms in the county, according to the last census. Agriculture is one of the important industries of the county which abounds in the production of small fruits. The principal products of the farms are grain, wheat, and truck.

There are two large and prosperous nurseries in the county, those of J. G. Harrison & Sons, near Berlin and the W. M. Peters & Sons, near Wesley and Ironshire. From a modest beginning a few years ago, they have grown to large proportions and their goods are shipped all over the United States and to many foreign countries.

The banks of the county are the First National and the Commercial, at Snow Hill; the Pocomoke National, the Citizen's National and E. G. Polk's Savings Bank at Pocomoke City; the C. B. Taylor Banking Company, the private bank of L. L. Dirickson, Jr., the Exchange Savings Bank, at Berlin; the Stockton Bank, at Stockton, and the George L. Barnes & Company at Girdletree. The individual deposits subject to check, as shown by the last statements, aggregate over $1,450,000.

The Equitable Building and Loan Association of Snow Hill is now building a handsome home in Snow Hill, and will open a banking department soon.

Pocomoke City, Snow Hill and Ocean City have excellent electric light and water works systems. The lines of the Diamond State Telephone Company and the Pocomoke Telephone Company cover the county in every direction, and first-class town and county service is given by both companies, and through the Diamond State Telephone Company first-class long-distance service is also given.

There are five newspapers in the county: the Democratic Messenger at Snow Hill; the LEDGER-ENTERPRISE and Worcester Democrat, at Pocomoke City; the Berlin Herald and the Berlin Advance at Berlin.

The schools rank among the highest in the State. The religious denominations represented by churches are the Presbyterian, Protestant Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Southern Methodist, Old School Baptists, the Disciples of Christ, New School Baptist and Roman Catholics. There are 86 white and 20 colored schools in the county...

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