Vanishing Ocean City With Bunk Mann

Vanishing Ocean City With Bunk Mann
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John Dale Showell, Jr. built Ocean City’s first swimming pool in 1917. Located on the Boardwalk between N. Division and Caroline streets, it was a salt water pool with water pumped in from the ocean.

Showell charged 25 cents to swim in the pool and cleaned it once a week, refilling it at night. The beach was very narrow in those days and at high tides the ocean came within 20 yards of the Boardwalk. It did not take a long pipeline to connect the pool with its water supply.

The Hurricane of 1933 heavily damaged Showell’s pool and the following year Edwards 5 and 10 was constructed on the site. The remains of the famous salt water swimming pool were boarded over and it faded into Ocean City’s unique history.

Postcard photo from Bunk Mann’s collection