Marion Station, Maryland
Encyclopedia
Marion Station, also known as Marion, is an unincorporated community
in Somerset County
, Maryland
, United States
. It is located at the northern intersection of Maryland Route 413
and Maryland Route 667
. After the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad
arm known as the "Eastern Shore Railroad" toward Crisfield
, Marion was locally hailed as the "strawberry capital of the world". After the trains stopped coming it has gone into decline, with some sources even hailing it as a ghost town.
line known as the Eastern Shore Railroad reached Crisfield
. A train station was built in the town thanks to John C. Horsey, who paid for the right-of-way for the train and the station house. The town was then renamed Marion; the name was taken from Horsey's daughter. Because of the railroad, Marion Station experienced an economic boom and became the world's leader in strawberry
production, utilizing the railroad to ship strawberries across the country. Large trains came to Marion's train station every day to collect strawberries, pulling loaded ice-refrigeration cars
out to sell them in large cities. The town saw the construction of several businesses along its Main Street (now Maryland Route 667
) corridor: a movie house, grocery store, blacksmith shop, pharmacy, a school. A garage was also built, as was a bar and a pharmacy. Marion Station also possessed the first hospital ever built in Somerset County, and the town grew to the point where it needed its own police force.
After several decades, however, the town began to slip into decline. This occurred in the 1950s, when the trains stopped coming to Marion for strawberries. The railroad line was officially abandoned on April 1, 1976 when Conrail was established,, and the steel rails were removed from the railroad bed later; however, the railroad was supplanted by the construction of Maryland Route 413
's current alignment. Many of the old buildings have been torn down or are now vacant. The train station still stands in the town. In 1997, a revitalization project began to restore the building. It was reopened in the early 2000s as the new Accohannock Indian Museum, containing various relics from the time when Marion Station was a bustling city. The fire department was moved across MD 667 to where it currently stands; the old building is now a store. The pharmacy is located on the short stub of Charles Cannon Road between MD 413 and 667, and has been boarded up and vacant for decades. Even the two gas stations located in the town have both closed; the last one closed in the early 2000s.
The lack of trains coming for the strawberries prompted the collapse of Marion's strawberry industry. The fields are now dominated by other food crops, such as soybeans and corn
; other fields remain completely vacant, such as the field directly east of the center of the community (between Hudson's Corner Road and Tulls Corner Road). Additionally, Marion Station is home to a very large organic vegetable farm
, which was started by sociologists from New Jersey
. Currently, there have been housing developments arising in Marion Station, along the Charles Cannon Road corridor west of the community, making the town a retirement destination.
Marion Station was also of interest to Six Flags
, who planned to build a theme park there, but this plan was rejected by the local residents.
: Hudson Corner Road, and once served grades 3–5 for the southern half of Somerset County. After the consolidation of schools which occurred in 2004, however, those grades were moved to Crisfield, and the school closed down. It was reopened in 2007 for adult GED classes.
is the main road of the community, housing most of the important facilities in years past and today, such as the volunteer fire department, the train station, the school, and the post office. The road crosses Tulls Corner and Charles Cannon Road; MD 667 is also known as Hudson Corner Road north of and Crisfield–Marion Road south of this intersection. At the turn of the 20th century, Crisfield–Marion Road was known as Main Street. MD 667 also links the town to Pocomoke
and U.S. Route 13
southbound to Virginia
. The speed limit on the road in town is 30 mph.
Tulls Corner Road leads east out of the town, to the ghost town of Tulls Corner
. It passes by a facility for the elderly. Between this facility and Marion, the road was Maryland Route 357 until the early 1990s. Charles Cannon Road is a continuation of Tulls Corner Road after it intersects both MD 413 and MD 667, and leads north to Kingston
. A small portion of this road was also MD 357. Both Tulls Corner Road and Charles Cannon Road largely serve residences in the community.
Also important to the community is Maryland Route 413
, the main highway between Crisfield
and points north on US 13. It is paralleled closely by MD 667 through the community and carries a speed limit of 55 mi/h.
passes by the town, with a small local arm known as Coulbourne's Creek. The convergence of these two bodies of water is accessible by Coulbourne Creek Road, off Charles Cannon Road, where a public boat dock is located. The activity in Marion was centered around this area before the economic boom brought about by the Eastern Shore Railroad and the shift to strawberry farming.
has two routes which serve the community: Route 1 and Route 3. The bus is accessible from two stops within the area: Marion Volunteer Fire Department and the former Marion Sarah Peyton Elementary School, and both operate along the MD 667 corridor within the business area before returning to MD 413.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Somerset County
Somerset County, Maryland
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*53.5% White*42.3% Black*0.3% Native American*0.7% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*1.5% Other races*3.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located at the northern intersection of Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from a dead end at Crisfield's city dock, which is located on the Tangier Sound, northeast to U.S. Route 13 in Westover. It is the main highway leading into Crisfield, and is known as...
and Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The east–west route runs from the city of Crisfield, which is located on the Tangier Sound, to U.S. Route 13 west of Pocomoke, and passes through Hopewell, Marion, Hudson's Corner, and Rehobeth along...
. After the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
arm known as the "Eastern Shore Railroad" toward Crisfield
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 2,723 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Marion was locally hailed as the "strawberry capital of the world". After the trains stopped coming it has gone into decline, with some sources even hailing it as a ghost town.
History
Marion Station was once known as Coulbourne Creek until the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
line known as the Eastern Shore Railroad reached Crisfield
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 2,723 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. A train station was built in the town thanks to John C. Horsey, who paid for the right-of-way for the train and the station house. The town was then renamed Marion; the name was taken from Horsey's daughter. Because of the railroad, Marion Station experienced an economic boom and became the world's leader in strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
production, utilizing the railroad to ship strawberries across the country. Large trains came to Marion's train station every day to collect strawberries, pulling loaded ice-refrigeration cars
Refrigerator car
A refrigerator car is a refrigerated boxcar , a piece of railroad rolling stock designed to carry perishable freight at specific temperatures. Refrigerator cars differ from simple insulated boxcars and ventilated boxcars , neither of which are fitted with cooling apparatus...
out to sell them in large cities. The town saw the construction of several businesses along its Main Street (now Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The east–west route runs from the city of Crisfield, which is located on the Tangier Sound, to U.S. Route 13 west of Pocomoke, and passes through Hopewell, Marion, Hudson's Corner, and Rehobeth along...
) corridor: a movie house, grocery store, blacksmith shop, pharmacy, a school. A garage was also built, as was a bar and a pharmacy. Marion Station also possessed the first hospital ever built in Somerset County, and the town grew to the point where it needed its own police force.
After several decades, however, the town began to slip into decline. This occurred in the 1950s, when the trains stopped coming to Marion for strawberries. The railroad line was officially abandoned on April 1, 1976 when Conrail was established,, and the steel rails were removed from the railroad bed later; however, the railroad was supplanted by the construction of Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from a dead end at Crisfield's city dock, which is located on the Tangier Sound, northeast to U.S. Route 13 in Westover. It is the main highway leading into Crisfield, and is known as...
's current alignment. Many of the old buildings have been torn down or are now vacant. The train station still stands in the town. In 1997, a revitalization project began to restore the building. It was reopened in the early 2000s as the new Accohannock Indian Museum, containing various relics from the time when Marion Station was a bustling city. The fire department was moved across MD 667 to where it currently stands; the old building is now a store. The pharmacy is located on the short stub of Charles Cannon Road between MD 413 and 667, and has been boarded up and vacant for decades. Even the two gas stations located in the town have both closed; the last one closed in the early 2000s.
The lack of trains coming for the strawberries prompted the collapse of Marion's strawberry industry. The fields are now dominated by other food crops, such as soybeans and corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
; other fields remain completely vacant, such as the field directly east of the center of the community (between Hudson's Corner Road and Tulls Corner Road). Additionally, Marion Station is home to a very large organic vegetable farm
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
, which was started by sociologists from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Currently, there have been housing developments arising in Marion Station, along the Charles Cannon Road corridor west of the community, making the town a retirement destination.
Marion Station was also of interest to Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
, who planned to build a theme park there, but this plan was rejected by the local residents.
Education
The building for Marion Sarah Peyton and Elementary School is located on MD 667Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The east–west route runs from the city of Crisfield, which is located on the Tangier Sound, to U.S. Route 13 west of Pocomoke, and passes through Hopewell, Marion, Hudson's Corner, and Rehobeth along...
: Hudson Corner Road, and once served grades 3–5 for the southern half of Somerset County. After the consolidation of schools which occurred in 2004, however, those grades were moved to Crisfield, and the school closed down. It was reopened in 2007 for adult GED classes.
Main roads
Maryland Route 667Maryland Route 667
Maryland Route 667 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The east–west route runs from the city of Crisfield, which is located on the Tangier Sound, to U.S. Route 13 west of Pocomoke, and passes through Hopewell, Marion, Hudson's Corner, and Rehobeth along...
is the main road of the community, housing most of the important facilities in years past and today, such as the volunteer fire department, the train station, the school, and the post office. The road crosses Tulls Corner and Charles Cannon Road; MD 667 is also known as Hudson Corner Road north of and Crisfield–Marion Road south of this intersection. At the turn of the 20th century, Crisfield–Marion Road was known as Main Street. MD 667 also links the town to Pocomoke
Pocomoke City, Maryland
Pocomoke City, dubbed "the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore", is a city in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Although renamed in a burst of civic enthusiasm in 1878, the city is regularly referred to by its inhabitants simply as Pocomoke...
and U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 in Maryland
U.S. Route 13 is a U.S. Highway running from Fayetteville, North Carolina north to Morrisville, Pennsylvania. In the U.S. state of Maryland, the route runs from the Virginia border south of Pocomoke City in Worcester County north to the Delaware border in Delmar, Wicomico County, where the route...
southbound to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. The speed limit on the road in town is 30 mph.
Tulls Corner Road leads east out of the town, to the ghost town of Tulls Corner
Tulls Corner, Maryland
Tulls Corner is an unincorporated community in Somerset County, Maryland, United States.-History:Tulls Corner is located in Quindocqua just west of Quindocqua United Methodist Church, at the intersection of Tulls Corner Road and L. Q. Powell Road, near Marion Station, Maryland...
. It passes by a facility for the elderly. Between this facility and Marion, the road was Maryland Route 357 until the early 1990s. Charles Cannon Road is a continuation of Tulls Corner Road after it intersects both MD 413 and MD 667, and leads north to Kingston
Kingston, Maryland
Kingston is an unincorporated community in Somerset County, Maryland, United States. A small community at the head of navigation of the Big Annemessex River, it is located on Maryland Route 413 at the intersection of Kingston Lane...
. A small portion of this road was also MD 357. Both Tulls Corner Road and Charles Cannon Road largely serve residences in the community.
Also important to the community is Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413
Maryland Route 413 is a state highway in Somerset County in the U.S. state of Maryland. The route runs from a dead end at Crisfield's city dock, which is located on the Tangier Sound, northeast to U.S. Route 13 in Westover. It is the main highway leading into Crisfield, and is known as...
, the main highway between Crisfield
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 2,723 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and points north on US 13. It is paralleled closely by MD 667 through the community and carries a speed limit of 55 mi/h.
Navigable rivers
The Big Annemessex RiverBig Annemessex River
The Big Annemessex River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It rises in Kingston, Somerset County, Maryland, and flows roughly southwest about in a meandering pattern, then widens into an estuary and continues about to the bay, near Janes Island State Park...
passes by the town, with a small local arm known as Coulbourne's Creek. The convergence of these two bodies of water is accessible by Coulbourne Creek Road, off Charles Cannon Road, where a public boat dock is located. The activity in Marion was centered around this area before the economic boom brought about by the Eastern Shore Railroad and the shift to strawberry farming.
Public transportation
Shore TransitShore Transit
Shore Transit is a commuter bus service on the Lower Eastern Shore of the state of Maryland in the United States, servicing Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. The company comes from the consolidation of Somerset Commuter, Worcester County Ride, and Wicomico Transit...
has two routes which serve the community: Route 1 and Route 3. The bus is accessible from two stops within the area: Marion Volunteer Fire Department and the former Marion Sarah Peyton Elementary School, and both operate along the MD 667 corridor within the business area before returning to MD 413.