The March Storm of 1962 was one of the most important events in Ocean City’s history. It destroyed more property than any storm before or since, caused the death of two local citizens, leveled the Boardwalk, and led to the biggest public works projects ever undertaken by the town.
This storm was also the turning point in the development of modern Ocean City. It briefly brought down the price of real estate and developers stepped in to buy oceanside property at a low cost. Development in the unincorporated northern sections led to the construction of water and sewer lines and annexation by the Town of Ocean City to the Delaware line in 1965.
Another legacy of the ’62 storm was the end of development on Assateague Island. The destruction of the planned community of Ocean Beach — over 30 houses and an asphalt road were consumed by the storm surge — paved the way for today’s popular federal and state parks. Without the Storm of ’62, there would be no Assateague Island National Seashore or Assateague State Park.
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Photo by Floyd “Doc” Turner