In 1670, Colonel William Stevens established a ferry across the Pocomoke River near present-day Pocomoke City. A small settlement called Stevens’ Landing developed near the ferry landing; the site had been used previously by a New England fur trader as a trading post. The town was incorporated as New Town in 1865, but was reincorporated in 1878 as Pocomoke City, after the Indian name for the river meaning “black water.”

While the Pocomoke River originally provided a means of transportation, it is treasured today more as an unspoiled scenic waterway and for the recreational opportunities it offers. Its surrounding wetlands serve as a sanctuary for many species of birds and waterfowl. A two-mile nature and exercise trail (right) begins at Cypress Park on the river near the downtown area and winds around 8-acre Stevenson’s Pond. Other facilities of interest along the river include Winter Quarters Municipal Golf Course and two city boat ramps.

Historic points of interest include the Costen House (inset, far right), the Sturgis One-Room School Museum, and the Mar-Va Theater. The Sturgis Museum was a one-room country schoolhouse a century ago. It was moved to its present location in downtown Pocomoke City to be restored as a museum of local African-American history. The Mar-Va Theatre is a 1927 Art Deco style auditorium famed for its superior acoustics. It is being restored as a regional center for the performing arts.

Today, Pocomoke City’s location at the intersection of Routes 13 and 113 establishes the town as the business center for the surrounding area. The 98-acre Pocomoke City Industrial Park is the home of Benelli (shotguns), Beretta USA (handguns), Bel-Art (plastics), AquaMar (aquaculture), Mid-Atlantic Foods (seafood products), Ricca Chemical Co., and others. The town offers stores and services along Route 13 and in its beautiful downtown shopping district near the river. Housing choices range from single family homes to retirement apartments in neighborhoods as diverse as new subdivisions and quaint historic districts.