[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12024]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING THE TRICENTENNIAL OF ALLEN, MARYLAND

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                        HON. WAYNE T. GILCHREST

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 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, then it was changed to Allen in 1882, named after a 
prominent resident at the time who 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 Penninsula, 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 church helped Allen become one of the earliest 
free African American communities in the Somerset area of Delamarva.
  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 Fileds, 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, a 
Volunteer Fire Company, the Historical Society and the Asbury and 
Friendship United Methodist Churches. These organizations preserve 
history while moving Allen forward into its third 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, its 300th year.

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