Willye Conner Ludlam built the Santa Maria Motel on the Boardwalk and 15th Street in 1956. It was one of the first masonry buildings on the Boardwalk and one of the first motels on what would become known as “Motel Row,.”The Santa Maria epitomized what motels of the post-World War II era had to offer… Read more »
Russell “Bo” Ruggerio was one of Ocean City’s most recognizable characters for over 30 years. He owned the Dutch Bar on the Boardwalk, The Kitchen restaurant and numerous rental properties in the downtown area. Bo had a white Rolls Royce and reminded some of the television character known as “Mister T” because of the gold… Read more »
A permanent Boardwalk was constructed in 1892 and extended for eight blocks along the oceanfront. Styles were more formal in the 1890s and 1900s — men in suits and ties and ladies in long dresses and big hats were normal attire for strolling the early Boardwalk in Ocean City.Both the Boardwalk and beach were narrow… Read more »
On March 6-7, 1962, a devastating Nor’easter hit Ocean City causing the worst destruction in the town’s history. High tides and heavy rains brought flooding that covered the island and trapped many residents in their homes. The Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company did heroic work making dozens of rescues.The Boardwalk was completely destroyed and hotels… Read more »
The winter of 1972-73 was an anxious time in Ocean City – there was an arsonist at work and nobody knew where he would strike next.The first victim was the Colonial Hotel, built in 1897, which burned on Dec. 14, 1972. On Dec. 30, a fire was set at the Stowaway Motel on 22nd Street… Read more »
There were several reasons that Caroline Street was Ocean City’s primary swimming beach in the 1920s and early 1930s. The beach was narrow in those days and Caroline Street was its widest part. It was also the site of Showell’s Bathhouse where tourists could rent lockers and bathing suits for 25 cents a day.The most… Read more »
The Sea Scape was built by Ridge Harman, Sr. in 1954 and was the first Boardwalk motel in Ocean City. Located on 16th Street, it was part of what would soon become known as “Motel Row.”The famous March Storm of ‘62 would cause serious damage to the entire town and the Sea Scape was no… Read more »
President Bill Clinton made his only visit to Worcester County on Memorial Day weekend of 2000. He visited Assateague State Park to announce federal initiatives to protect America’s beaches, reefs and shoreline from pollution.Clinton arrived by helicopter and never actually set foot in Ocean City, but the publicity generated by his speech brought national attention… Read more »
English’s Chicken House was built on the corner of 15th Street and Philadelphia Avenue in 1963. For the next 51 years, it would serve some of the best fried chicken ever cooked on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The chicken was breaded with a secret recipe. When served with English’s fresh baked sweet potato biscuits,… Read more »
The northwest corner of 3rd Street and Baltimore Avenue is one of the most historic spots in Ocean City. Known today as the location of City Hall the building became the site of the Maryland State Normal School – a college to train school teachers – 1915. The teacher’s college would only exist there for… Read more »