For those folks that are unaware and not from around here, an oil rig such as the one displayed below, was built on the property then owned by Larry G. Hammond. It was located 6 miles east of Salisbury on Mount Hermon Road. Oil drilling was abandoned in 1945 after reaching a depth of about 43,000 feet. That is when they hit bedrock and back then they didn't have the technology to continue drilling deeper.
The property currently has a two story home on it and is the same land where the oil derrick was constructed. After hitting bedrock they abandoned the well and I've heard it was sealed and is still visible in the basement of the dwelling. The two story home was formerly occupied by Grace Cropper who has since passed away.
I wish Ohio Oil had continued their effort and struck 'paydirt' because it would have had a dramatic effect on all our lives here on the eastern shore.
Maybe you, and I among many others can convince the majority of our people to declare our independence from the Western Shore so we can embark on some 'oil catting' ourselves. I'm sure that idea will generate considerable consternation among some of our US Politicos who claim to currently represent our constituency here on the eastern shore.
You can read a little more about it on the link listed below:"
http://www.jstor.org/pss/1299352
5 comments:
If I am not mistaken,natural gas was once found in the ground in the Parsonsburg area many years ago,and people hooked into it and then one day it just stopped and water came through.I read it somewhere in a book about Wicomico County History.Anyone else familiar with that story?
RE: blutojthetotmom
I've heard about the same thing in Parsonsburg. A longtime residence with the last name of Jones informed me about gas discovery. From what I remember, it seemed as though any residence could tap into the line that was in close proximity to the discovered well.
Thanks 932-as I recall reading,one day water just started gushing out of the gas connections and that was that.Interestingly enough,that part of the county also has the highest elevation above sea level countywide.Makes you wonder if theres more fossil fuel hiding down there somewhere...
blutojthetotmom:
You have to be a native easternshoreman. Only natives know this kind of stuff. You are right, Parsonsburg is the highest elevation in Wicomico County. Another interesting fact, everything west of Parsonsburg drains primarily into the Wicomico River and everything East drains into the Pocomoke River.
Not a native lol.I lived in Wicomico County for 15 yrs,and for a few of those years I lived near a historical property which piqued my interest into local lore.Richard Cooper and John Jacobs wrote two of the best books on local history.
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