<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
the Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Statement of Cash Flows of
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                     75314310
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                   22794296
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        19980502
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                      12510658
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               130599766
<COMMON>                                       2167047
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     18961990
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                           29164113
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                50003027
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          28907000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                            12000000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   784868
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                15452684
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                130599766
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     43645586
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           2272543
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    37272946
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    39545489
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        4100097
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               65164
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 4165261
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        799148
<NET-INCOME>                                   3366113
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  3366113
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        962888
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      2374102
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         7531133
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .75
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .72