OCEAN CITY HISTORY SKETCH

SKETCH OF OCEAN CITY HISTORY

JULY 4 1976

SALISBURY DAILY TIMES

This written history for Ocean City goes as far back as 1799 when on the 5^th of January

that year the “Ocean Bird” an English sailing vessel , wrecked at what is now Ocean City.

The skipper, Captain Wiilliam Carhart, drowned. His crew buried him on the high land

across the Isle of Wright Bay.

A few years later, an English vessel, carrying a marble tombstone sent by his family, put the

marker on his grave. This was along what became the number 1 fairway of the Ocean City

Golf Course Farms at the home of John Whaley and his wife.

Between the years 1910 and 1918, prior the WWI , the Philadelphia based Camphene

Club , several hundred members strong, annually held an 'outing' at this grave site.

The first structures on the island probably were built by Bernard Ulman, one of a Salisbury

family, around 1869.

Old records describe a holstery. Owned and operated by Isaac Coffins, the grandfather

of Captain William B. S, Powell, a later large land owner and real estate operator. The

“Rhode Island” Inn was a one story 'inn' and tavern and made question if it were the sun,

beach and ocean, or Coffins Bar, that was the big attraction bringing people to one spot on

the lonley Atlantic coast.

Sinepuxent Beach Corporation was formed with well known Ocean City names, Purnell,

Showell, Taylor, Henry and Toadvine, among its stockholders.

In the 1860's to spend a day at the beach, one had to arise in the wee morning hours,

travel to a farm wharf on Sinepuxent Bay to take a flat bottom ferry over to the Ocean front.

Upon time to leave in early evening or late afternoon, it was late that night when families

would arrive back home.

An implication that it was mainly the women making this trip is carried in the name of the

land grant “ Ladies Resort To The Ocean” patented by Benson and Tabor in 1868 what is

now the site of Ocean City proper.

Dinning room menus included Maryland Fried Chicken, terrapin, duck or geese wildfowl,

soft crabs, fresh fish, Maryland Country Ham, Maryland beaten biscuits, hot bread,

gravies, sauces, puddings and pies. Hotel rates were $12 to $15 a weekat the best hotels.

Lavishness was on order of the proprietors.

Until 1914 Ocean City was a fishing village with few homes and hotels, there was no inlet

and the sea fishermen had to pull their boats ashore with horse or mule teams.

By 1875 the Atlantic Hotel had been erected, followed by the Seaside, Congress and

Plimhimmon in the 1880's. The railroad had been extended from Salisbury in 1879

and by 1881 was brought into Ocean City proper. Later years saw all these hotels being

destroyed by fire, only the Atlantic being rebuilt.

In 1928 a road of sorts was built to Rehoboth along the coast and Ocean City was Maryland's

only seaside resort. Development was slow from Somerset & Talbot area northward. Finally

reaching the Delaware state line it ended, this was “Highrise Row”.

The trip from the western shore or Baltimore to Ocean City was a major undertaking to say

the least. At first bay boats carried vacationers to Claibourne where they boarded trains

that took them to Salisbury. Prior to 1879 stage coaches traveled from Saliabury to the edge

of Sinapuxent Bay where they boarded scows to cross the water to the ocean.

By 1879 travel by train from Clairbourn, through Salisbury, to Ocean City was possible.

Ladies in their feather boas, ostrich plumed hats, elaborate wrap around skirts were

under a constant rain of soot from the funnel shaped stacks of the engines.

Pine slabs furnished the fuel for the engines and stops were common to “wood up” from

ready cut piles along the way. The first thing everyone had to do upon arrival at the

Baltimore Avenue station near Somerset Street was beat the cinders and smoke out of his

clothing and wash his soot covered face.

Baggage haulers with ox drawn carts met the trains and took the guest to the hotel of their

choice. The hotel featured the last word in conveniences, soft goose down mattresses ,

polished oil lamps, wash stands, wash bowls, pitchers of water, fine table and a great

supply of spirits for the thirsty at the bar or lounge.

Abstract: Saliiisbury Daily Times, Sunday, 4 July 1976 by Harrison H. February 2018.