One of Ocean City’s most popular attractions was built by Odie Hartley on 65th Street and Coastal Highway in 1972. Originally known as the “Sea Side Slides,” three concrete slides (painted blue) cascaded down a 38-foot man-made hill where kids would ride rubber mats to splash into landing pools about 2 ½ feet deep.
Odie, along with his wife Dee, operated the business until selling it to his stepson Mike Wicklein in 1991. Wicklein re-named it the “65th Street Slide and Ride” and added other attractions such as mini-golf, a moon bounce, and kiddie bumper boats. He named the flumes the Kiddie Slide, the Katie Slide (after his daughter), and the Sui-slide for young dare devils willing to risk skinned knees and elbows in the shallow landing pools.
Wicklein operated the popular attraction through the summer of 2008 and finally closed it to move on to other endeavors. Although the 65th Street Slide and Ride is now part of history, memories of it will last forever.
To purchase one of Bunk Mann’s books, click over to www.vanishingoc.com.
Photo courtesy Mike Wicklein