Crisfield, Maryland
Crisfield is a city in Somerset County, Maryland, United States, located on the Tangier Sound, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. The population was 2,515 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. Crisfield has the distinction of being the southernmost incorporated city in Maryland.
Crisfield, Maryland | |
|---|---|
City | |
Crisfield water tower | |
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Flag Seal | |
| Nickname: The Seafood Capital of the World | |
Location in Somerset County and the state of Maryland | |
Crisfield Location within the state of Maryland Crisfield Crisfield (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 37°59′3″N 75°51′8″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maryland |
| County | Somerset |
| Founded | 1663 |
| Incorporation | 1872 |
| Founded by | Benjamin Summers |
| Named for | John Woodland Crisfield |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council–manager |
| • Mayor | Darlene Taylor |
| • Crisfield City Council | Council members |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.17 sq mi (8.22 km2) |
| • Land | 1.74 sq mi (4.49 km2) |
| • Water | 1.44 sq mi (3.72 km2) |
| Elevation | 3 ft (1 m) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 2,475 |
| • Density | 1,425.69/sq mi (550.61/km2) |
| • Demonym | Crisfielder |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 21817 |
| Area code(s) | 410, 443 |
| FIPS code | 24-20775 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0583972 |
| Website | www |
The site of today's Crisfield was initially a small fishing village called Annemessex Neck. During European colonization, it was renamed Somers Cove, after Benjamin Summers. When the business potential for seafood was discovered, John W. Crisfield decided to bring the Pennsylvania Railroad to Crisfield, and the quiet fishing town grew. Crisfield is now known as the "Seafood Capital of the World". The city's success was so great that the train soot and oyster shells prompted the extension of the city's land into the marshes. City residents often claim that the downtown area is literally built atop oyster shells.
Crisfield began to slip into decline along with the declining health of the Chesapeake Bay, prompting a "strategic revitalization plan" to address the city's future needs. Currently, Crisfield is largely a tourist destination. It hosts many annual events and festivals, the most prominent of which is the National Hard Crab Derby. Crisfield is also a major gateway to Smith Island and Tangier Island.