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What you see now as you look at Ocean City is an island 10 miles long and a few blocks wide jam packed with everything you could desire for fun in the sun. But it wasn't always like this.
In the mid 1800s, Assateague Island stretched for 60 miles along the coast of the Delmarva Peninsula. Windswept and desolate, only a few brave souls operated small seasonal hotels, while the island was primarily used for hunting, fishing and grazing cattle and horses. When the Atlantic Hotel opened in the tiny town of Ocean City in 1875, it was the beginning of this area as a true vacation spot. An ad in 1891 stated, "The Atlantic Hotel and Casino affords an endless round of popular and pleasant amusements. The pavilion for dancing, etc. is the finest on the Peninsula. A first-class orchestra will furnish music throughout the season. A billiard and pool room, including a handsome buffet, is attached to the house."
Travelers came by ferry and train, often traveling hours to spend one idyllic afternoon at the shore. In the early days, the Boardwalk was one of the main attractions. Starting as boards laid in the sand (and picked up each evening), it was later built as a permanent structure 10 feet above the beach, to let the tides wash below. Sitting under the Boardwalk was a favorite spot to picnic or play in the shade.
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Ropes were tied to the posts and anchored in the ocean so daring bathers could venture safely into the water.
The Boardwalk has always been the promenade of the resort, the place to see and be seen. In the early part of this century, the evening ritual was to stroll the "boards" in your best attire after an elaborate dinner in your hotel. The look today may be more casual, but a walk down the Boardwalk is still a "must do" event.
The oldest part of Ocean City is at the southernmost tip of the island. As you meander the area below Division Street, look up - above the shops at street level. Cottages and small hotels still proudly reflect the strong heritage of the early pioneers of this town. For decades, this was the tightly packed hub of the resort. From about 9th Street north, there were only a few lone cottages...until the Carousel was built at 118th Street in the 1960s.
The face of Ocean City may have changed, but what draws visitors to our shore all year long has not. The smell of the salt air. The majestic vista of the ocean. The pure joy of shedding your city shell and luxuriating in the freedom of the beach.
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 The Ocean City Public Relations Office \ Local: 410-289-2800 \ 1-800-OC-OCEAN (1-800-626-2326) HOME / About OC / Recreation / Our Seasons / Our History / Facilities / Level One / Level Two / Information Request
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