Crisfield, Maryland

Crisfield, Maryland
City
Crisfield water tower
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 Show map of Maryland Crisfield Crisfield (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 37°59′3″N 75°51′8″W / 37.98417°N 75.85222°W / 37.98417; -75.85222
Country	United States
State	Maryland
County	Somerset
Founded	1663
Incorporation	1872
Founded by	Benjamin Summers
Named for	John Woodland Crisfield
Government [1]
• Type	Mayor–council–manager
• Mayor	Darlene Taylor
• Crisfield City Council	Council members LaVerne Johnson (Council Vice President) Barbara Ward James Ford Jr. Gail Lankford Nelson Sheppard
Area [2]
• 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 [3]	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.cityofcrisfield-md.gov

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.

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.