[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15267-15268]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING THE TRICENTENNIAL OF ALLEN, MARYLAND

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. WAYNE T. GILCHRIST

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mr. GILCHREST. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Village of 
Allen's 300th birthday. This Maryland community is located in the First 
Congressional District, which I have the distinct honor of 
representing. Established in 1702, I recognize this village for its 
longevity, and through that longevity, for influencing the unique 
flavor of Maryland's Eastern Shore.
  Allen sits in Wicomico County, along Wicomico Creek. Central to its 
establishment was the Grist Mill, which was originally built and 
operated by the Brereton family. The mill was fully operational until 
1919 when, after 217 years, it finally closed. The mill dam formed 
Passerdyke Pond, still a local landmark, and it was the spillway, or 
trap, that gave the settlement its first name. Trap eventually became 
Upper Trappe, and then it was

[[Page 15268]]

changed to Allen in 1882, named after a prominent resident at the time 
that was a storekeeper and served as postmaster.
  With the mill and its location on the lower Eastern Shore, Allen 
developed into a considerable market during the 18th and 19th 
centuries. A post office helped give it status, along with the several 
general stores that have operated throughout its history and the 
introduction of the canning industry. And like most settlements on the 
Delmarva Peninsula, agriculture drove the local economy, and Allen 
residents have found fame over the years with strawberries, apple and 
peach orchards, tomatoes, and especially string beans.
  The Asbury Methodist Church is another important Allen institution. 
Founded in 1829, the present sanctuary was built by local carpenter 
Caleb Twilley in 1848. In 1999, the church was placed on the National 
Register of Historic Places. The first African-American church, formed 
in 1864 as a community of freed slaves led by Roger Dutton and Rufus 
Fields, settled in the area. The county provided a public school for 
the African-American community in the 1870s.
  Of course, it is people, not buildings, that really form a community, 
and the people of Allen have been clearly successful in that regard. 
Without local family heroes--the Breretons, the Allens, the Pollitts, 
the Messicks, the Huffingtons, the Twilleys, the Polks, the Duttons, 
the Fields, and the Malones, to name but a few--Allen surely couldn't 
have survived its 300 years.
  The people of Allen not only helped to develop a thriving village, 
but also shared their talents with greater Maryland. From within 
Allen's boundaries have grown community and regional leaders, sports 
heroes, and successful business entrepreneurs; Allen's people have 
served Maryland for centuries. In fact, Allen's citizens began 
establishing and building a community before the birth of the United 
States.
  Allen is a true American village. It represents community, tradition, 
heritage and permanence. Peppered with historic buildings, Allen's 
pride in its history is evident, a history I honor today. Allen, 
however, is much more than its history; it is a thriving residential 
village with strong leadership and an active community. Contributing to 
the strength of Allen's community spirit are the Lion's Club, the Allen 
Volunteer Fire Company, the Allen Historical Society and the Asbury and 
Friendship United Methodist Churches. These organizations preserve 
history while moving Allen forward into its fourth century.
  Allen is certainly one of Maryland's hidden treasures, so please join 
me in recognizing and celebrating the history of Maryland's charming 
Village of Allen in this it's 300th year.

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