The Story of Ocean View, Delaware — A special publication of the Coastal Point by CoastalPointNewspaper

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OceanView OceanView

ispublishedbythesamefolkswhobring youtheCoastalPointeveryFriday.

SusanLyons, Publisher

DarinJ.McCann, ExecutiveEditor darin.mccann@coastalpoint.com

LauraWalter, ManagingEditor laura.walter@coastalpoint.com

M.PatriciaTitus, NewsEditor

ShaunLambert, TechnicalDirector

SusanMutz, AdvertisingSales

JaneMeleady, AdvertisingSales

EmilyHarne, AdvertisingSales

JaneJohnson, AdvertisingSales

JerrySellman, AdvertisingAssistant

MariaCounts, Reporter

TrippColonell, Reporter

KerinMagill, Reporter

TomMaglio, Designer

DavidElliott, Designer

TylerValliant, Photographer

BrandiMellinger, NewMediaCoordinator

111AtlanticAve.,Suite2

OceanView,DE19970

302.539.1788 v coastalpoint.com

Wepresenttoyou...OceanView

AttheCoastalPointoffice,weareexcited tosharethenexttaleinourTownStory series.OceanViewisaplacethatpeople areincrediblyproudtolivein,andtosharethe historyof.

Wedelightedincollectingstoriesofthe past,presentandfutureofOceanView(a.k.a.the BirthplaceoftheBroilerChickenIndustry,andof CoastalPointnewspaper).

Wefoundatownthat’sbeenflexiblesince the1700s.Whenyoungmencouldn’tmake moneyonruralfarms,theybecamesailorson WhiteCreek,theIndianRiverBayortheAtlanticOcean.Whenaminorshippingerrorinthe 1920sresultedin500birdsononewoman’s doorstep,CecileSteelecreatedDelaware’sbroiler chicke nindustry,whichinsulatedOceanView fromtheGreatDepression.

Now,waterfrontlivingisthedream,and OceanViewresidentsliveoncanalsandcreeks and1.5milesawayfromthesecond-largestocean onearth.

Peoplearecoming(orreturning)forthe small-townlife,wheredoctors,restaurantsand grocerystoresarejustamileaway.

Whenwestartedcollectingstoriesfrom OceanView’speople,wefoundthatmanyfolks werenative,buthadmovedawayandarenow comingbackforretirement.Whyisthat?They’ll tellyousimply,“It’shome.”

Longtimeresidents(veryproudtocall themselves“locals”)seeanagriculturalpastinthe oldbuildings—agaragethatoncehousedchickens,orahomedécorbusinessthatwasoncea feedhouse.

Meanwhile,otherpeoplehavejustsuccumbedtotheocean’slureforthefirsttime.For them,OceanViewisaplacetoretireorraisea family.They’rethereasonOceanViewisseveral timeslargerthanitwas50yearsago.

We’realsoexcitedtoseecivicgroupsthat wanttoimprovetheircommunity,aschooldistrictthatpeoplelove,andanOceanViewHistoricalSocietythatwantstostrengthenthetown’s roots.

Peoplearecoming—andreturning—fora reason.Theyhaveaproudpastandahopefulfuture.

WelcometoOceanView. v —LauraWalter

‘Icouldn’twaittogetawayfromhere. ThenafterIspent33yearsinWashington, D.C.,Icouldn’twaittogetback.I reallyappreciatedthelifestyleand whatwehadgrowingup.Itwasa smalltown,andeverybodyprettymuch kneweverybodyelse.’

Thewholeareachangedslowly,insulatedby ocean,bayandcypressswamp.Infact,themajorityofGordonWoodSr.’sclassmatesinthe1950s sharedthesamelastnamesascitizensinthe 1780Census.

—GlennTimmons

COVER:(Clockwisefromupperleft)reeyoungladiesenjoyasunnyday,including, fromleft,MargaretQuillen,GraceMcCabeandBarbaraMitchell.(PhotobyHannah Hickman).

PoultryvaccinationsandbloodtestingtakeplaceattheSteelefarmin1936(Photocourtesy:DelawarePublicArchives). osherapproved!Localbirdsweresometimesslaughteredsoastobekosherforthe PhiladelphiaandNewYorkmarkets.(Courtesy:BillCobb).

LordBaltimoreHighSchool,1932(PhotoCourtesy:DelawarePublicArchives). AnoldOceanViewpostalseal(CoastalPointphotobyTylerValliant).

Beforetourism,thepoultryindustryputOceanView onthemap.is1932flockofbroilerchickenslived atHiramTruitt’sfarm.

PhotocourtesyDelawarePublicArchives

OceanViewwasbuilton schooners,farmsandfamilies

InsouthernDelaware,oneparticulartownwasalwaysjustastone’sthrowawayfromtheAtlantic Ocean.Andtheynamedthemselvesassuch: OceanView.

EnglandcontrolledtheDelmarvaPeninsulain themid-1600s,promising50acresoffreelandto anyonewhocrossedtheAtlanticOceantosettlethis region.Wealthierfolkscouldclaimthelandbysponsoringindenturedservantstocomeanddothedirty

‘Growingupdownhere was,Ithink,idyllic.’

—Hannah(Parsons) Hickman

work,accordingtolocalhistorianGordonWoodSr. (NativeAmericansha dlongsinceleftthearea,either byforceorchoice.Buttheyalsohadahistoryinthe area,perhapsspendingsummersalongthepeaceful andbountifulshoresoftheIndianRiverBay.)

Meanwhile,twowhitefamiliesarguedoverjust whocontrolledpresent-daySussexCounty.

ThePennsofPennsylvaniaandCalvertsof Marylandeachhadtheirownclaimbutdebatedjust

howfarsouthPenn’slandcame.Partoftheblame goestoaDutchnavigatorwho,in1613,mistakenly calledFenwickIslandacape(“Hindlopen,”infact), accordingtolatelocalhistorianMaryPatKyle.

Whentheerrorwasdiscovered,latermapmakersmoved“CapeHenlopen”20milesnorth,toits properspot.

ButtheCalvertswereunluckyinthatthemislabeledmapswereusedin1730whenthekingofEnglandgrantedtheDelawarecountiesnorthofCape HenlopentothePenns.

SothePennsgotanadditional20milesof southernCalvertland.

Butsettlershadtake nsideswitheitherfamily, andskirmishesmadetheregionanuncomfortable placetobeuntilthemid-1700s.Itwasanuncertain ageandanisolatedregion,sopeoplehesitatedto buildtheirlivesorgrandhomesintheBaltimore Hundred.(Hundredsareanarchaicmethodofsubdividinglandbyevery100familiesthatlivethere.)

Butfarmsdefinitelyexisted.

CharlesCalverthadgrantedatractof500acres called“Middlesex”toMatthewScarboroughin1688.

OceanViewisthetownthatIgrewupin. Now,tobeperfectlyhonest,wedidnotlive intheactualtownlimits.Iwasraisedon CedarNeckRoad,butourmailing addresswasOceanView.AndI thinkyouwillfindthatmanyofus thathavelivedhereourentirelifefeel likethiswholeareaisours.Itdoesn’t matterifitisOceanView,Bethany Beach,MillvilleorClarksville—this ismyhome.

WhenIwasayoungchild,duringthe’60s,theareawasprettyquiet —ramblingcornfields,chicken houses,householdgardensandgorgeoussunsetsonthebay.

IfIwastouseonewordtodescribemychildhood,Iwouldusethe word“freedom.” Kidshadalotof freedom.Inthe summerorona Saturday,you wouldjusthopon yourbikeandbe goneallday.You justneededtobe homeintimefor dinner,andyou’d betternotbelate. Youwouldride around‘tilyou foundsomeother kidsplayingand joinedin. Therewere notmanykidson CedarNeck,andit didn’tmatterifthey wereyoungeror older.Everybody gotalong;weall rodethesame schoolbus,soweall kneweachother.In fact,mostofthe kidsontheeastsideofLordBaltimorerodethe samebus.AgoodportionofOceanView,allof Bethany,northandSouthBethanyrodethe samebus,fromfirst-gradersto12th-graders,

untiltheschooldistrictsmergedin’68and’69. Dayswerespentplayinghide-and-seekincorn fields,playingbaseballinthefieldbehindthehatchery,ridingtheHickmans’ponyor buildingfortsinthewoodsnear PineyPoint.Wewouldswiminthe bay,explorethecanalortakealittle boatouttoGu llIslandnearthe VFW.

Childhood memoriesin OceanView

SusanLyonsattheageof6. LyonsgrewupinOcean Viewandrodeherbikeall overthearea.

Mydadworkedinthehatchery onCedarNeck,fortheMurrays, andwelivedintheapartmentover top.Itwasgreat.Mydadwasoncall everyothernightandeveryother weekendbecausebackthen,every timetherewasabadthunderstorm, wewouldloseelectricity,andthat wasquiteoften. Ofcourse, thehatchery hadahugegeneratorthat wouldbe turnedonthe minutethe powerwentout, tokeeptheheat ontheeggs,so wealwayshad lights—even wheneverythingaroundus wouldbepitch black. Wehadone ofthefirstcolor TVsinthearea, andRobert Herringtonremindedmethe otherdaythat manyaFriday orSaturday nightmyparents’friends wouldcomebyand wewouldallwatchTV,gettingveryexcitedwhen ashoworcommercialcameonincolor.

See OceanView page8

“The

“Jeff

“Cannot

- Bernard D.

“We

- Linda C.

- Kay H.

“Pam

- Bonnie B.

OceanView

EverystoreinOceanViewwasafamily-run business.IspentalotoftimeatLewis’sFlowerShop onCentralAvenue,astheirdaughterandIweregood friendsandstillaretoday.

Mostoftheirplantsweregrownfromseed,andI wouldhelpDianatransplanttheseedlingsintoindividualpotsduringtheearlyspring,gettingreadyfor theseason.Onreallyhotdays,wewouldsitinthe walk-incoolerwherethecutflowerswerekept.On daysthatwerodeourbikestoschool,wemightstop intoherfather’sbarbershoponRoute26.

AsIgotolder,oneofmyfavoriteOceanView hauntswasBillGichner’sIronAgeAntiques.Hewas ablacksmithwhohadmovedherefromtheD.C.area and,ifIremembercorrectly,wasfamousforremaking theWhiteHousegates.

Asakid,Iremembermanyinterestingpeople fromOceanView,andoneofmyfavoriteswouldbe “Pop”Parsons—heownedastoreonthecornerof

Lyonsgetssomesunattheageof4(whichislikelythelasttime ourpublisheractuallyrelaxed!).

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Thatincludedmodern-dayBethanyBeachandsurroundingareas,includingtoday’sOceanView.

Theareathattodayisneartheintersection ofRoute26andCentralAvenueeventuallywenttotheHazzardfamily,then theHallfamily.

ofsomeoneclimbingtothesecondstoryofhishouse andannouncingthattheAtlanticwasvisiblefromthe village.Thenamehasstuck.

Shippingoff

Shoppingandsettling

Likemanytowns, OceanViewbeganasa store.Wheneverasettlementpoppedup, thegeneralstorebecamethecentralhub.

WilliamSpence Hallopenedastore around1820,accordingtolocalhistorianRichard Nippes.Itwasjust eastofCentralAvenue,acrossfrom DaiseyAvenue,which ledtoacreek.Local familiesanddistant shippingcompaniesalreadyhaddailybusiness atHall’sanyway,soitjust becametheplacetosendletters.

Folksnaturallybegancalling thesurroundingarea“Hall’sStore.” TheU.S.PostalServiceencouraged that,havingselectedHall’sStoreasthearea’s postofficein1822,Nippeswroteinanarticleon thetown’shistorypublishedintheCoastalPoint newspaperin2016.Otherbusinessesfollowed,includingblacksmithsandsawmills.

Withallthataction,thetownwasincorporated onApril13,1889,and,aweeklater,thefirstnine towncouncilmembersmetforthefirsttime.

Theyhadlooke deastfortheirname,andseeing thegrowingpopularityofbeachrecreation,they calledthemselves“OceanView.”Legendtellsthestory

JohnTunnell, believedtohave builtthehistoric Tunnell-West House.

Photocourtesy

BarbaraSlavin

Hall’sStorewasabigdeal,butpeople neededmoneytospendthere.Luckilyfor OceanView,itwaslocatednearthetip ofWhiteCreek,thenamuch deeperchannelthanitistoday.It wasalsoafamiliarspotforthe manyshipcaptainsandwatermenthatOceanView wouldproduceforthe nextcentury.

WhiteCreekconnectstotheIndian RiverBay,whichis justaninletaway fromtheAtlantic OceanandtheEast Coast’sshippingindustry.Delaware’s Route1didn’tyet linkthebeaches,and allotherstagecoach routeswereslowand muddyanyway.So waterwasthespeediestmodeoftransportation.

Jobswerescarce,and farmingwasnotlucrative, partlybecausetherewasn’tthe free,exploitivelaborofslaveryto helpthingsalong.(Slaverymostly driedupincoastalDelawareafterthe colonialera,accordingtoWood’s2002 book,“LetterstotheLittleOnes”).

Somensoughttheirfortuneelsewhere,joining theCoastGuardandLife-Savingservice,orsailing outoftheIndianRiverInlettowardthecity.

“Itwasawater-orientedindustry.Alotofpeople madetheirliving[by]goingtosea,”saidlongtimeresidentDavidLongSr.,88,whoalsoservedintheMerchantMarine.“Alotofthemworkedonthetugboats inNewYorkorPhiladelphia.”

“ShipswouldtakelumbertoPhiladelphiaand

See Past page12

bringbacksugar,spices,tobaccoandcloththatwould besoldinHall’sstore,”Nippeswrote.“Hall’sGeneral Storeprovidedanessentialexchangecenterforthis isolatedcommunity.”

Originally,vesselswaitedforhightidebeforeattemptingtodockatDaisey’sLandingonWhite Creek.Butthentheschoonerindustrypickedup,and thetwo-masted,four-manvesselsskimmedacrossthe shallowwaterwithease.Theyoftenhauledlumber duringtheirheydayofthelater19thcentury,Wood, 80,wroteina2005DelawareHeritageCommission newsletter.

TherewasevenashipyardattheheadofBlackwaterCreeknearClarksvillewhereschoonerswere built,eachrangingfromperhaps32to60feetlong.

“Consideringthesmallnumberofincidents”despitethetrickinessofthewindandtide,“Itisapparentthattheywereexpertlyhandledbyexperienced masters,”Woodwrote.

PennewellLandingwasalsoalaunchpointand

repairfacilityforboats.LocatedonWhiteCreeknear theAssawomanCanal,itwasalandingspotfor BethanyBeach-boundvisitors.Localscouldalsosail fromtheretoalmostanywhereontheIndianRiver for10cents.

Butwiththeimprovementofrailroadsandhighways,thearea’sboatingindustrywasabandoned— sometimesliterally.Theremainsoftheschoonerthe AdellaMaudisstillburiedinVinesCreek,outsideof Dagsboro.Woodsaidtheboatwasburneddownto thewaterlineandisstillpartlyvisibleduringlowtide.

Meanwhile,thesmallchannelsthatmadeshippingapossibilityhavesiltedinduringthelastcentury, renderingtheirpastaswidershippinglanesalmost unbelievable.

Foralongtime,Route26(AtlanticAvenue)was theonlypavedroadinthetown.ResidentBarbara Slavinsaidherfamilyusedhorseandbuggyuntil about1919.Whenhergrandfatherboughthisfirst car,heaccidentlyhitthegaspedal,sherelated,andhe yelled“whoa”insteadofbraking.Heimmediately turnedhiske ysovertohis11-year-oldson,herfather.

eLongfamilylivedon CentralAvenueinthe 1940s.Picturedhereare HoraceandDorothy Long,withtheirdaughters,BerniceandYvonne.

Photocourtesy

BobHerrington

OceanViewHomecomingrootedinfamilyandfaith

eUnitedStateswasachangingplacein1909.

Smack-dabinthemiddleofwhatwasconsideredthe “ProgressiveEra,”Americanswereemboldenedbyarailroad thatspannedacrossthenation,andAliceHuylerRamsey,a22year-oldhousewifeandmother,becamethefirstwomanto driveacrossthecontinentalUnitedStatesinacar.eodore Roosevelt’stenureaspresidentoﬃciallyendedatthebeginning oftheyear,andtheWilliamHowardTafterabegan.

emilitarywasgrowingintoapowerfulgiant,44years aftertheendoftheCivilWar,astheU.S.Navyopenedabaseat PearlHarborandtheU.S.ArmySignalCorpsDivisionpurchasedtheworld’sfirstmilitaryairplane,theWrightMilitary Flyer,fromtheWrightBrothers.

Inshort,ouryoungnationwasbeginningtospreadits wings.

OceanViewwasgoingthroughitsownstagesofprogress atthetime.CaptainGeorgeHandyWesthadbecomethe town’sfirstcouncilpresident20yearsearlier,asthestatelegislatureincorporatedthetownwiththename“OceanView”in 1889,accordingtoRichardNippesoftheOceanViewHistoricalSociety.

In1909,thiswasnotaneconomybasedaroundrealestate,development,construction,theserviceindustryorretail. Farmingwasthetopsourceofincome,andifyourfamilydidn’t ownafarm,theopportunitieswerenotplentiful.

“Mostofthemeninthisarealefttogoworkonboats,”explainedWandaPowell,alocalhistorianwithdeeptiesinOcean ViewandMillville.“Ifyouweren’tafarmer,youhadtomake money,somehow.”

AndthisishowOceanViewHomecomingbasically

'Alotofcredit withthatparkgoesto CharlieMcMullen. Hehasdonesomuch tomakeitabeautiful playgroundfor thekids.'

—WandaPowell

Manyofthosemenwholefttogrowtheirfortunesdidso alone.eyoftenleftwivesandhomesbehindandsentmoney tokeepthehomefiresburning,sotospeak.

“Everybodywouldhavetheirvacationdeliberatelyatthe sametime,”saidGordonWoodSr.,aformermayorofthetown. “SothatwasHomecoming.”

Andfrom1909to1940,OceanViewHomecoming tookplaceeveryyear.

“ItwasfirstheldintheOceanViewSchoolGrovenextto thePresbyteriancemetery,andthelocationwassoonchanged towhatisnowtheJohnT.WestMemorialPark,”asnotedin “140YearsofRainbows,”abookaboutMariner’sBethelUnited MethodistChurchandthelocalarea, pennedbyMaryCollins andEvelynEbyin1998.

CollinsandEbysaiditwasapatrioticaﬀair,withflagsflying“justlikeontheFourthofJuly,”andeachHomecomingprogramopenedwithashortprayerandclosedwithabenediction.

eyalsodescribedmusic,featuringthe198thArmy BandandtheOceanViewMarchingBand.Peopleworetheir “Sundaybest”andoftenarrivedbymulesandwagons,andspecialrateswerearrangedtobringpeoplebyboatfromMillsboro toPennewell’sLanding(White’sCreek,justnorthoftheAssawomanCanal).

ebandstandwasbuiltin1922,andthegrovewas wiredin1928,whenelectricitycametoOceanView,according toCollinsandEby.ingsreallygotrolling,sotospeak,in 1931,whentoiletswereadded.

See Homecoming page16

cametobe.

emusicalentertainmentcontinuedtogrowoverthose earlyyearsandfeaturednamessuchasBillPowell(“NotmyBill Powell,”explainedWandaPowell.“MyBillPowellcouldn’tcarry atuneinabucket.”);JohnWest;Tommy,BobbyandShirley Dukes;theHockers;PeggyTruitt;DanandCarolynPowell; GraceandEleanorBetts;JennieSteeleandMabelHolt.

Manyofthosenamesarestillprominentintheareatoday.

Itwasatimetoseepeople,andtobeseen,andHomecomingwassomethingthatwaseagerlyanticipatedbylocalpeople everyyear.

“Mymother-in-lawwentintolaborwithmyhusband rightbeforeaHomecoming,”saidPowell.“Andshewassoupset sheendedupmissingHomecoming.”

e“final”Homecomingwasheldin1940.WorldWarII calledawaymanyofthelocalmen,andattentionwasfocused elsewhere.Itwasonhiatusuntil1956,andthenonlytookplace sporadically,untilstartingupagainin2010,accordingtoBarbaraSlavinoftheOceanViewHistoricalSociety(OVHS). eOVHStookcontrolofmodern-dayHomecoming,until handingitovertotheTownfor2015.

'[Homecoming]was great.Therewasso muchtoeat,andIwill neverforgetthat homemadeicecream. Thereweresomany kidstoplaywith,andit wasjustagreattime.'

—WandaPowell

Butitlookslikeitwillgoonbreakagain,fornow.

“Ipersonallythinkit’sahistoricalsocietyfunction,”said OceanViewMayorWalterCurran.“at’swhatit’sabout— reconnectingtothepast…eTowndidtakeitover.Itwasa tremendousburdenontheTownstaﬀ.Idon’tbegrudgethe moneythatwasspent.Ithinkthemoneywaswell-spent,butI thinkitcanbebetterspentoneventsthatcanentertainmore people.”

Currancitedmoreconcertsintheparkassomething uponwhichTownemployeeswouldputtheirfocus.esummerconcertserieshasgrowninpopularityovertheyearsasthe Townhasgivenexposuretonumerouslocalperformersand somefromoutsidethearea

“Homecomingwasreallyimportant,”saidWood.“e impetusfortheoriginalHomecominghasgonedown.Kids thesedayscouldn’tcareless.And,onceuponatime,everyone wasalocal.”

Don’tcountoutareturnoftheOceanViewHomecominginthefuture.AslongastherearepeoplewhocallOcean Viewhome,therewillbeatimetocelebrate.

“OnethingHomecomingmeantwasthatpeoplehad rootshere,”explainedWood.“eymayhavegonetowarorcareers,butsomanyreturn.Idid.” v

—StorybyDarinJ.McCann,ExecutiveEditor

Celebrating 30 Years of Ocean View’s History

Makingaliving

TheAssawomanCanalhadmadeitsdebutin thelate1800s.ItconnectedDelaware’sinlandbays (viaWhiteCreektotheLittleAssawomanBay)and alsoservedasacleanboundarylinefortownlimits.

Evenwhenagriculturesteppedintothespotlight,OceanViewfamiliesstillusedthewaterto boosttheirincome.

“Farmerswouldbringtheirtomatoestooneof threewharvesthatwerelocatedalongWhiteCreek, wheretheywereloadedontosmallbargesandthen towedbyoneofthetugboatstoatomatocanningfactoryontheRehobothCanal,”saidNormanJusticein a2011OceanViewHistoricalSocietylecture.

TomatoeswerealsoshippeddirectlyfromacanneryontheAssawomanCanalatWestAvenuethat wasdestroyedinafirein1928.(Anothercanning workshopwaslocatedacrossfromLordBaltimoreElementarySchool,whereKatherineEvans,95,said peoplecouldgettheircanssealedinlateryears.)

Menandchildrencaughtfish,clams,oystersand crabstosell.Dependingontheera,kidsmightmake 1 to3centsperclam.Afterselling100clams,David LongJr.andhistwinsister,Dawn,now61,spent theirincomeonboardwalkridesandgamesinOcean City,Md.“Thatwasajoy,”hesaid.

“Mygreat-grandfatherJimMelsonmadebaskets ofsplitoakandsoldeels,”Justicesaid.“Eventhough eelswerekindacreepy,likesnakes,andthecut-upeel sectionswouldwigglealloverthefryingpanwhen theycooked—theywereabsolutelydelicious.”

Eelsbroughtingoodmoneywhenshippedto thecityinbarrels.Somewatermensprinkledthem withtobaccotoreducethemucusandthewiggling. Othersdippedtheminsawdustorsandtogetagrip forskinningthem.

FishpeddlerscameonFridays,ringingaspecial hornsobuyersknewtobringabasinforthefish,Justicesaid.

Awake at4a.m.eachmorninginthesummer, Justiceandhisfatherrowedtwomilestothesaltgrass flatsnearIndianRiverInlettocatchcrabs.Many crabbersworke duntilabout9a.m.,soldtheircatch androwedhometobeginthemorningfarmchores.

Hesaidpeoplecouldalsoleasethebottomof theIndianRiverBaytogrowoysters.

Localstrawberrieswerealsohauledtothe MillsboroorSelbyvilletrainstations,tobepurchasedatauctionandloadedontonortherntrains. OceanViewproducedbothberriesandstarter plantsforotherfarmerstobegintheirstrawberry patches.Butlarge-scaleberryproductioninthe townendedwithacombinationofdiseaseandthe WorldWarIIlaborshortage,Woodwrote.

Womenlivingintheareamighthaveajob, buttheymostlysupportedthehousehold.But “themwomenaretougherthananymantoday,” saidOceanViewnativeJayHerrington,57.

“Therewasn’tjobsforwomenlike thereis now,”Evanssaid.“Youstayedathomeandraised thefamilyanddidagarden.Youcannedand thingslikethat.Maybeyoutendedsomebody’schildren,oryouhelpedsomeoldpeopleandtheypaid youafewdollars,”Evanscontinued.“Therewasjust noworkforwomenoutinthecountry,asIcallit.”

Eatitorsellit:Farmingwaskey

Farmsdidn’tchangemuchinthefirsthalfofthe 1900s,andthebiggeroneswereusuallyoutsideof townlimits,especiallytowardCedarNeck.

“Almosteveryfarmhadatleastonecow,ahorse ormule,barnyardchickensandducks,apigortwo,a catforkeepingmiceatbayandadogortwo,”saidJustice,wholikedsettingrabbittraps.“Ikeptourselves andourneighborssuppliedwithrabbit.

“OnedayIcaughtafunny-lookingkindarabbit —allblackwithawhitestripedowntheback,anda longbushytail.HesureruinedtheclothesIwas wearingandalmostmademeblind.Fromthenon,I hadthegoodsensetotake agoodlookbeforeputting myarmintopullitout.”

Autumnwashog-slaughteringtime,sofamilies helpedeachotherdothedirtywork.Thatkeptpeoplefedforawhile.

“Everythingwasusedexceptthesqueal,”Justice said.

Farminghelpedinsulatelocalsfromthecruelty oftheGreatDepression.Maybethat’sbecausethere waslittlemoneytobeginwith.

“Everybodyhadgardens,”saidBillCobb,90.“I d on’trememberbeinghungry.Wehadplentytoeat.”

“Theleanyearsweretheyearswehadverylittle rainortoomuchrain,”Justicesaid.

JamesMaurice Evansposeswitha Buickconvertible, possiblyheadedfor achauﬀeuringgig, circa1925.

Photocourtesy

BarbaraSlavin

‘Peoplehadtoleave

intheearly1900s because,[before] thechickenindustry, therewasn’tmuch todo.’

—BarbaraSlavin

Farmingwasnojoke,especiallybeforeautomation.Itwasadailyjobwithheavylaborandnoholidays(livestockhavetoeat).Workershauled 100-poundfeedsacksandshoveledcoalorashes.It’s afarcryfromtoday’sautomatedtractorsandlivestockfeeddevices.

Thereweretwopartstomostfarms:thefamily garden,andthefieldcropstofeedtheanimalsorsell forprofit.

Forsparecash,youngpeoplecutgrass,worke dat localshops,paintedbuildings,pickedvegetablesor eventrappedandsoldfurs.StartinginOctobereach year,theywovehomemadehollywreathsfor3to10 centsapiece.ThatearnedthemChristmaspresent moneyandhelpedmakeMiltontheHollyWreath CapitalofAmerica.

Chickentown,USA

OneofDelaware’sbiggestagriculturalindustries beganin1923,withatypo.

LegendtellsofCecileLongSteele,whoordered 50layinghenstomakesomeextramoney.Shewas startledreceiveashipmentof500birds.Butshe boughtsomeextrafoodandraisedherfirstflockof broiler-fryerchickensforcommercialconsumption.

Afterthreemonths,arespectable75percentsurvived,andshesoldthe2-poundbirdsat62centsper pound,saidhergreat-grandsonJaredSteeleata2009 OceanViewHistoricalSocietylecture.Shecertainly wasn’tthefirstpersontoraisechicke ns.Butother farmersfollowedsuitwhentheyheardthatanagent

See Past page20

continuedfrompage19

wantedtosupplypoultrytoPhiladelphiaandNew York.Thecommercialbroilerindustrywasbornin bulk.

“Itwassupposedtostartasahobby,raise50layinghensforsomethingtodo,”JaredSteelesaid.Everyonewassurprisedbythepoultryboom,butshekept orderinglargeflocks.

Originally,herCoastGuardsmanhusbandhad littletodowiththefarm.ButDavid“Wilmer”Long mayhavebeenthefirstmantoabandonhisoceanfrontjobtocomehomeandmakemoneyinpoultry.

“Shewantedmorehouses,”JaredSteelesaid. “Therecameatimewhenheneededtobeonthe farmwithher”astheyexpandedtheoperation.

Thatbroughtmorejobsforthehatcheries,feed companies,vaccinationsandgeneralfarmhands.Suddenly,allthesailorswhohadleftOceanViewforcity jobsintheearly1900swerecominghometothe boomingindustry.

TheSteelesbothdiedofheartattacksinarecre-

‘Myfathercamehome fromtugboating“todo somefarmingand makesomereal money.”’

—NormanJustice, OceanViewHistorical Societylecture,2011

ational1940boataccident,JaredSteelesaid.

“Oneoftheirchildrencontinuedthebusiness untiltheearly1950s,whentheNewCastledisease wipedouttwoflocks,backtoback.Thatwouldbe disastroustoanyfarmer,andhequitagricultureafter that.”

Butmanypeoplecontinuedtoworkinpoultry, oftenke epingafewhouses.Soon,chickenhousesand hatcherieswereeverywhere.

Homesweethome

Indoorplumbingdidn’tcometoOceanView untilthemid-1900s.

“Everyonehadpriviesinthebackyard,”said ShirleyCobb.“Ihatedthat!Imademycousingoout thereinthenightwithme”

“Itgotalittledrafty,”saidherhusband,BillCobb. “AndyourpaperwasaSears&Roebuck[catalog]. Thempagesisalittleslick,too.”

Theothertoiletpaperalternativewasabasketof corncobs.

“Youngpeoplehavenoideahowoldfolkslived,”

See Past page22

Evanssaidwithalaugh.

inthatroom.”

Butonwintermornings,“thetemperatureinthe househaddroppedtosomewherebetweenbriskand brrrrr.…Duringthecoldestdays,wehunganold blanke torbedspreadbetweenthediningroomand kitchentoatleastkeeponeroomwarm.”

Atstatelyolderhomes,suchasthehistoricTunnel-WestHouse(c.1868),theparlorwasonlyused duringabirthordeath,orforvisitors.Otherwise,actuallifetook placeinthekitchen,surrounding thewoodstove(wherewaterwas alsoheatedforbaths).

“Mosteveryonelivedinahousethatwasshingledwithcypressshingles”fromthenearbyswamp, “andseveralhomesintheareastillhavetheseshingles,”wroteMary(Hocker)Collinsin “140YearsofRainbows”(a1998historyofMariner’s BethelUnitedMethodistChurch,co-writtenbyEvelynEby).

Withnoinsulation,houseswerefrostyinwinter andhotinsummer.

“Atnight,wewouldtesteverybedroomandsee iftherewasaslightbreezecomingthroughthewindow,”Collinswrote.“Wewouldallsleeponthefloor

How

Poultryfeedwasgoodfor families,thoughnotforeating. Afterfarmlaborershademptiedchickenfeedintothepoultryhouses,theyturnedthe feedsacksovertothewomen. Theywerefreefabricforthe household.Alreadyprinted withattractivepatterns,the feedsacksbecamedishtowels, men’sshirtsand,sometimes, moredelicateitems.

“Feed-sackunderwear wasnotverycomfortable— wearingsandpaper,”Justice

“Everythingwasmadeoutofprintfeedbagsat onepoint,”Evanssaid.ButfamiliesdrovetoSelbyville ortoSalisbury,Md.,forspecialtyitems,including dressclothes.

Inwinter,peopletreasuredwarmoldArmyovercoatsandpriceysheepskin-linedjackets.Peopleextendedthelifeofclothingwithtrickslikeaddingcuffs tosleevestoaccommodategrowingarms.

Laundrywashand-washedonceweeklyina largetub.

“Theclothesweremassagedmanuallyon themetalridgesofthescrubboard,”Collins wrote.“Thistreatmentnotonlyremovedthe dirt,butknuckles.”

Hugegardenswerethenorm.

“Icannedeverythingyoucould.Wedidn’t havefreezersforalongtime.Youcannedor youburiedit,”Evanssaid.Rootcellarsheld harvestsofpotatoes,turnips,applesandcarrots.Peoplemadehomemadebeer,rootbeer, wine,applejackandbrandy.

Withawholeproducesectionintheir pantry,ruralfamiliesonlyboughtthestuff thatpulleditalltogether:sugar,flour,bakingpowder,keroseneandmatches,andcoffee.

Peopledidtheirgroceryshoppingat whichevergeneralstorewasclosesttohome —ortheyvisitedseveralstores,basedonthe specialtyofeach.StoresincludedJackHill’s grocery(todaythelocationofSalononCentral)andVernonMcCabe’sgrocery(now hometoWildAboutBirds).

Cityfolkwerestartledtofindthat OceanViewstilldidn’thaveindoor plumbingintheearlytomid-1900s.

Photoby TylerValliant

TheParsonsstore(located neartoday’sRoyalFarms)might havebeenthemosticonic.Minos James“Pop”Parsonsboughtitinthe 1940s,renamingittheJ. M.Parsons storeforhiswife,JennieMae.Shopperscouldfindfreshmeat,cheese, bread,butter,molasses,basicmedicines,sewingsupplies,socks,tobacco, candy,hand-dippedicecream,cookie case,alunchcounterandglass-bottle sodas,storedinamodifiediceboxwith frigidwater.

Milkwasdeliveredtohousesdaily untilthelate1950s.Butforgetrefrigerators.Familiesstoredanythinghadto staycold,suchaseggsormilk,downin cool,undergroundwells.

“Thestoresweresustainedbythepeoplewhocouldwalktothem,”saidJ. Robert “Bob”Parsons,theshopkeeper’sgrandson. “Then,inthe’50s,theAcmestoreopenedin Selbyville,andalotofpeoplestartedgoingup

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continuedfrompage23

therebecausethestuffis fresherandthepriceswere cheap.”Millsboroalsohadan A&P.

Bythemid-1950s,refrigerationwascheapenoughthat JakeHocker’sfoodlockerwasn’tessentialanymore,either.

Hestartedbutcheringandsmokingmeat,eventually openingthepredecessortoG&EHocker’sgrocery.

WorldWarII

Themilitarydraftdida“cleansweeparound here,”saidEvans,whosehusband,Harold,joinedthe Navyin1943andservedalongsideotherSussex Countians.

In1945,sheandHannah(Parsons)Hickman, now89,weretohavegraduatedwithabouttwo dozenstudents.Butthreeweredraftedbeforegradua-

WorldWareII soldierswere desperatefornews ofhome.ey receivedmany lettersfromfriends andneighbors.

CourtesyHannah Hickman

tion,includingtheclasspresident.Theremainingteenagers coveredtheiremptychairswith graduationrobes.

Whatwasitlike tohave classmatesinthewar?

“Itwasimpressive,butit waslikethewarwassofaraway fromme,”Hickmansaid.

Hickmanlearnedtoknit whenshejoinedtheAmerican JuniorRedCross,makingwarm vestsforservicemen.

Localsmightruntothebeachtowatchaship pass,butthetownsweredarke nedatnight,toprevent airorsubmarineattack.Evencarheadlightswere paintedblackontop,topreventlightfromglancing upward.

OnCedarNeck,citizensservedasairplanespotters.Theystoodwatchinelevatedwoodenplatforms toreportanyaircraftsightings.

“MygirlfriendandIdidthatafewtimes.Ifyou sawanairplanegoby,youcalledthisnumberandit

See Past page26

Pastcontinuedfrompage24

wasrecorded,”Hickmansaid.

Meanwhile,theU.S.CoastGuardpatrolledthe beacheswithattackdogstoprevent enemylandings.

LordBaltimore School’s1945 graduationprogram.

CourtesyHannah Hickman

onthebeach,therewas“asystemof26radarsites, usingradiowavetechnology[that]stretchedfrom MainetoVirginia,”accordingtoanon-siteinformationmarke r.“Itspurposewastospotenemyaircraft, submarinesorsurfaceshipsapproachingsignificant shippingpoints,suchastheDelawareRiver andDelawareBay.”

“Theireffortswherenotentirely successful,”Collinsmused.“Someyears afterthewar,whileraisingasunkenUboat,evidenceofbreadwrappersand othersuppliespurchasedfromsoutheasternSussexgrocerystoreswasdiscovered.”

OtherAmericansoldierssurroundedthetown.TherewasFortMiles inLewes,aprisoner-of-warcampin BethanyBeachandafullradarsitewith barracksjustsouthofOceanViewon CentralAvenue.

Startingin1942,U.S.ArmyRadar Site11wasoneoftheearly-warningsystemsalongthecoast.Besideswatchtowers

Originallyproppedupontrailers,the radarunitandtowersoonbecameapermanentcamp.Enlistedsoldiersandofficers hadaradarbuilding,messhall,recreation hall,guardshelterandmore.

Afterthewar,thegovernmentabandonedthesiteassurplusland,andthe unusedbuildingsfellintoruin.In1958, theDelmarvaNewsreportedthata small,unmannedbuildingandantenna towerremained,stillscanningtheskies fortheU.S.military,upuntil1970. Today,onlythepumphouseremains,withintheVillageatBearTrap Dunes—atestamenttothework donethere.

Germanprisoners-of-war,cap-

“Family

turedinNorthAfrica,werealsolocatednearby.They werehousedinnorthBethanyBeachandguardedby theyoungDelawareStateGuardsmen,attheencampmenttemporarilyvacatedduringthewarby DelawareNationalGuard.

Likemostthings,laborwasscarceduringWorld WarII,soPOWsandAmericansoldierswerecalled upontohelpwiththeharvest,atnocharge.“Inreturn, theyateMom’sfriedchicken,vegetablesoutofour gardenandherpies,”Collins wrote.“Shealsogavefoodto theprisoners,astheywerejust boysonthewrongside.”

HannahHickman

inthefighting,Hickmansaid.

Butthereweregrowingpainsaspeoplelooke d forcivilianjobsagain.

“Therewere6millionintheservice.Whenyou cameback,therewasn’tanywork,”saidBillCobb, whojoinedtheservicein1944andservedinthePacific.“I doneeverything—theworstjobsyoucould thinkof—Icaughtchickens,madetomatobaskets outofgum”treewood.

Oldschoollearning

Itwasn’ttheworstimprisonment,butthewarwasn’tfar frommind.

“OnedayIwasshooting walnutsoffourtreesandthe prisonershitthegroundat thesound,”Collinswrote.

Lifewaseasierafterthe war,simplybecausepeople nolongerworriedabout friends,familyorneighbors

Nearlyeveryoneraised nearthebeachhasacommonnameintheirpersonal history:LordBaltimore. Builtin1930,LordBaltimoreElementarySchool’s iconicbrickbuildingstill standstoday,alongwitha fewadditions.Itoriginally housedteenagestudents. ButthefirstLordBalti-

moreSchoolwasalong,whitebuilding constructedin1920wheretheschool’s gymnasiumislocatedtoday—oneof Delaware’smanynewschoolhousesbuilt withfundsarisingfromPierreS.DuPont’s generosity.ResidentsofMillvilleand OceanViewvoted(withsomecontention)toconsolidatetheirschoolsinto thenewbuilding.

Thestudentsonceeducatedin around10tinyschoolhouses—including onelocatedbehindthePresbyterian churchandanothertowardCedarNeck —werejoinedtogethertoformthestudentbodyofLordBaltimoreSchool.Each rowofdesksattheindividualschool houseshadheldadifferentgrade,andthe schoolsmighthavehadapot-belliedstoveforheat andanoutdoorprivy.

Today’sbrickbuildingcamein1930,forhighschoolers.Untila1952brickaddition,theoriginal longwhitebuildingcontinuedtoserveGrades1 through6,saidGlennTimmons,65,whograduated intheLordBaltimoreSchool’sfinalhighschool class,theClassof1968.

Theirmascotwasan eagle,withschoolcolorsof greenandwhite.

CedarNeckchildren couldavoidthemiles-long hiketotheirnewschoolby ridingJustice’sfather’sbus. (Healsodrovepeopleto themoviesinBishopville, Md.,onFridaynights,for asmallfare.)

Withtheconsolidatedstudentbody,itwas easyforpeopletoknow everyoneintown,since theygrewupknowing everyoneinschool.

“Mybrotherhadonly eightpeopleinhisclass,” saidBettyMurray,Class of1964.“I thinkwehad like40-some,anditwas thebiggestclassatthat time.”

Asaspecialtreat,the seniorclassalwaysvisited Washington,D.C.,decked outintheirfinestclothes, includinghats,withthe girlswearinggloves.Communitymemberswerealwayswillingtobuyaticke t tofundraisermovies,chicken-and-dumplingdinners orrollerskatingpartiesinRehobothBeach.

‘WhenIwasyoung, youcouldn’twalkwithoutseeingapoultry farm.That’showthick theywere.’

—BillCobb

whoarrivedlatetoschoolbecausetheyhadtofeed thechicke ns.

Theschoolbecomesasystem

In1968,theIndianRiverSchoolDistrictwas createdtooverseeeducationonabroaderscalein southeastSussexCounty.LBhigh-schoolerswere busedtoFrankfordtojoinstudentsattheJohnM. Claytonschool,becomingthestudentbodyof IndianRiverHigh School.Selbyvillestudentsjoinedthemin 1969,whileMillsboro andGeorgetownspecialschoolsmergedin thenorth.

Schoollessonswere“morepractical.Everything seemedtorelatetoreallife,”saidBobHerrington, 61.

Mathproblemsaskedhowmanyloadsofsoil wereneededtostartagarden.Otherclassestaught rifle-handling,agricultureandhomeeconomics.He saidadministratorswereforgivingtowardfarmkids

Butchersatthe LordBaltimore CanningCenter workshop,1944.

Photocourtesy DelawarePublic Archives

Thereweremixed reactions.Peoplealreadyknewkidsfrom otherschools,sothey weren’tstrangers.But “thelegislatureforceda consolidationthatthe peoplehereweren’ttoo happyabout,sowereluctantlygraduated fromIndianRiver.But ourheartswereinLord Baltimore,”BobHerringtonsaid.

Hisyounger brother,Jay,attended gradessevenandeight atIR’sfeederschool, SelbyvilleMiddle School.

Unequaltimesineducation

Before1950,blackstudentscouldonlyattend tuition-basedhighschoolsfarthernorth.Startingin 1950,allblackhigh-schoolersattendedWilliamC. JasonComprehensiveHighSchool,about25miles awayinGeorgetown.TheJasonschoolwasphased outin1967asminoritieswerereturnedtotheirlocal schools.

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TheHerringtonssaidtheirmotherwas“amazing”becausesheencouragedherboystoplaywiththe newstudents,whowereprobablyterrifiedtobeattendinganewschool.

“Theywerejustkindanewkidsintheclass,” Timmonssaid.“Nobodypickedonthem.You’dhave toaskthenhowtheyfelt,buttherewasneverany nastinessgoingon.Todaytherearen’tthatmany blackpeopleinthiscommunity.…Idon’trecallany racialproblemsbackthen.”

Segregationingeneral

“WhenOceanViewwasfirstcreated,[minorities]weren’tallowedtoliveintownunlesstheywere livingontheplantation,”Slavinsaid.Becauseofthat, longtimewhiteresidentshavelittlememoryofblack familiesintown.

“Theculturewasadiscriminatoryculture,”said Parsons.“Itwasaverystratifiedsociety.”Whitefolks

‘Delaware’ssupposed ambivalenceinthe CivilWarwaspointed outbyanapocryphal sayingbyanelderly customerinmydad’s hardwarestorearound 1950.“Delawarehas threecounties,”he said.“Thesympathies ofNewCastletothe northwerewiththe Union.Thesympathies ofSussextothesouth werewiththeConfederacy.Kentinthemiddlemademoonshine forwhicheversidewas winning.”’

—GordonWoodSr., ‘LetterstoLittleOnes’

wouldreferto“ourcoloredwoman”or“ourcolored man,”insteadofsayingtheemployee’sname.

“Myparentsnevertaughtmetobearacist,well, becausethatwasn’ttheChristianway,”Hickmansaid, althoughsheadmittedthatclassdistinctionswere stillobserved.

Bothracesplayedtogetheraschildrenorworke d alongsideeachotheronfarmsasadults,saidJayHerrington.“Wekneweverybodyfromthatkindofrelationship.Delawareisalittledifferent.Somethings,I thought,wereadvanced”comparedtootherplaces.“In otherways,it’sbackward.”

WhenOceanViewPresbyterianChurchwas built,“Therewastobenodistinctionbecauseofrace orcolor,”MaryHudsonwrotein1956inthechurch’s 100thanniversarybooklet.“Thewhitemasterstook theircoloredslavestochurchwiththem,andthere wasabalconyinwhichtheslavessatduringservices. Manyfolkssenttheir‘blackmen’tohelpdothework onbuildingthechurch.”

Slavintoldastoryfromhergrandfather,who wasbornin1856.Herememberedablackwoman runningdowntheroadin1865,grief-stricke nbecauseAbrahamLincolnwasshot.Itwasahardtime,

“especiallyfortheblackpeople,becausehehadbeen theirsavior,”Slavinsaid.

Withslaverygivingwaytosegregation,black familiesgenerallylivedoutsidetownlimits,often workingasfarmhandsorevensharecroppers.

“Therewasoneblackmanintown”namedSam Anderson,saidHickman,ayounggirlatthattime.“I justthoughthewastheneatestman.Hedidn’thavea car.Hehadahorseandwagon,andIgottorideinita coupletimes,andIjustthoughtthatwaswonderful.”

“Hewaseveryone’shandyman,”Parsonssaid.

Parsonsneededapart-timejobinthewinterof eighthgrade.Sohebecameachicke n-catcher—a fieldtypicallydominatedbyminorities.

“Thesewereyoungguysoutofhighschool,in their20s,andcatchingchickenswaswhattheydid. Theywereallblack,”Parsonssaid.“Andtheylaughed atme,andtheyteasedme,andtheytookcareofme.”

“ThereisnoargumentagainstLincoln’sfreeing theslaves,anditwasobviouslytheright,properand justthingtodo…[but]theimplementationwasa failure.Untrainedanduneducatedandgenerally withoutland,theformerslaveswereill-equippedto

See Past page34

Above,four womenoutsidethe LordBaltimore School(Photo courtesy:Delaware PublicArchives). Below,PoliceChief ErnestLong demonstratesthe firstmodernradar onthetown’s1978 DodgeCoronetpolicecar,circa1978 (Photocourtesy: BobHerrington).

getahead,”Woodwrotein“Letters.”

“Theydidn’tgetthesupportthattherestofthe communitygot.Notonlydidtheynotgetsupport, theywereputdownbyJimCrowlaws,”Woodsaid.

HisfatherownedMillvilleHardwareStore, wherehesaidbothraceswereallowedcredit.

ElbridgeMurrayIII,70,doesn’trememberany harshrace-relatedincidents.

“Youalwayshearstories,butIneversawanyof thatstuff.”Thosestorieswerefromotherplaces,not OceanView,hesaid.

“Ithinknowthereisalotmoreintegrationand peoplegettingalongtogether…evenmoredown herethanWilmington,”saidSlavin,whogrewupin thatcitybutwasdrawntoretireinherancestors’ hometownofOceanView.

Severalpeoplenotedtheblackcommunitytwo townswestofOceanView,nearClarksville,whichincludedtheBlackwaterColoredSchool.Theareawas called“DogPatch,”accordingtoWood.

Educationtookastepintothemodernerawhen theU.S.SupremeCourtdecidedtoendschoolsegregation.ButthelocalcommunityheldapublicmeetingtodiscussBrownv.BoardofEducation.

AccordingtoParsons:“Mr.HarryDuke swas thepresidentoftheschooldistrictatthetime.He wentuponthestageoftheLordBaltimoreSchoolin thosedaysandsaid,‘Well,I’mgladyouallcame,andI appreciatetherearethismanypeoplethatareinter-

estedinourschools.Ifyou wanttoknowwhatwe’re goingtodoaboutthe SupremeCourtdecision,I’m goingtotellyouexactlywhat I’mgoingtodo.

“‘WhattheSupreme Courthassaidisthelawof theland.Asweworkwith stategovernmenttoimplementit,wewilldoasweare toldandaslawrequires.But fortomorrowmorning,my childrenwillbehereatLord BaltimoreSchool,andIhope yourswillbe.AndIthink that’sallIhavetosaytoyou aboutthattopic.Ithinkthis meetingisoverandIthank youforcoming.’

“Thatwasabravething forhimtodointhosetimes.”

ButSussexCounty schoolswereunimpressed withtheedict,andintegrationdidn’toccurforanotherdecade.

Lifearoundtown

“OceanViewwasaveryquiettown”especially withbluelaws.“NothingwasopeninOceanViewon Sundayexceptchurches.Churcheswereagathering pointfortheyouth,”saidWaltLathburyina2012 historicalsocietylecture.Cemeterieswereespecially popularfortheyoungsterstoplayhide-and-seek.

Intown,familieshadtheirchoiceofthree Protestantchurches:Mariner’sBethelUnited

Ademonstration attheLordBaltimoreCanning Centerworkshop, 1944. Photocourtesy DelawarePublic Archives

MethodistChurch(builtin1858),theOceanView ChurchofChrist(organizedin1900andsoonafter mergingwithZionChristianChurch)andtheOcean ViewPresbyterianChurch(an1856spinofffrom BlackwaterPresbyterian).

“Growingupdownherewas,Ithink,idyllic,” Hickmansaid.Sherodeherbiketoschoolandnever lockedanything—bikesordoors.

“Wewerepoor,butwedidn’tknowitbecausewe wererichwithfamilyfriendsandcommunity,”Bob Herringtonsaid.

“Wealwayshadsomethingtoeatandaroofover

The Mission of the Chamber

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The Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce represents businesses which serve the towns of Bethany Beach, Clarksville, Dagsboro, Fenwick Island, Frankford, Millville, Ocean View, Roxana, Selbyville, and South Bethany.

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Mailtime!In1889,Nancy‘Annie’WestBettswasnamed postmistressoftown’sfirstfreestandingpostoﬃceonWest Avenue.Residentsknewthemailwasreadyeachdaywhen shehoistedaflagoverhead.Shegotagovernmentstipend andacutofthepostagesales—agoodincomeforawidow.

PhotobyTylerValliant

continuedfrompage35

ourheads,”saidJayHerrington,althoughheremembershismotherscoldingthemtotakebaths:“You can’thelpbeingpoor,butthere’snoexcuseforbeing dirty.”

Electricitycameinthe1930s.Phonenumbers werethreeorfourdigits,suchas“Dickinson689.”

(Clockwise,fromtopleft)AcommunitybandoutsideLordBaltimoreschool,circa1923 (Courtesy:BarbaraSlavin).Twowomenworkatvaccinatingandblood-testingchickensatthe Steelefarm,1936(Courtesy:DelawarePublicArchives).LocalmenplayedfortheRedCombs fast-pitchsoftballteam(Courtesy:BarbaraSlavin).Cropsweremeanttofeedanimalsand peoplein1936(Courtesy:DelawarePublicArchives).eLordBaltimoreSchoolin1926 (Courtesy:DelawarePublicArchives).

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Towntaxeswerepaidattheclerk’shousebeforeshe gotanoffice.

Atthetime,councilmembers“knewtheneedsof thetownandwhatthetowncouldafford,”Evanssaid. “Theyknewpeoplearoundheredidn’thavealotof money.”

“Politicswasverydifferentbackthen,”Timmons said.“Thedayofvoting,alotofpeoplewouldhang out”attheMillvilleFireHallpollingplace.“There wasalotofpolitickinggoingon,unliketoday,where you’renotallowedtohaveasignoutthere.”

Inthe1940s,beforethepubliclibraries,theSussexCountyBookmobilecamefromGeorgetown, Evanssaid.

“Ifyouworkedonafarmfromsunuptosundown,youdidn’thavetimetoreadabook.”Butshealwaysmadetimefordetectivenovels.“Abookwasn’t consideredimportantbackthen.But,tome,abook wasatreasure.”

TheinfamousStormof1962slammedinto coastalDelawarewithavengeanceonAshWednesday.Thenor’easterpiledhightidesandheavyrainson thelowgrounds—whichwasmostofthepeninsula. Iftheywerelucky,beachcottageswerefloodedwith sandandseawater.Unluckyhouseswerecarried downtheroad.

“Ourpropertygotfloodedabit,”saidTimmons ofhisCedarNeckhome.“Eightthousandchicke ns weredrowned.”

Asateenager,Murrayfoundsomeeconomic benefit,astheMillsboropropanecompanywaspaying$1foreverylostpropanetankthatwasreturned tothecompany.ManyhadfloatedacrosstheIndian RiverBay,fromOakOrchardtoOceanView.

Atthatpoint,southernDelawarehadtwomajor industrialemployers,DelmarvaPower&Lightand theDuPontCompany.Whenhegraduatedin1964, virtuallyallofElbridgeMurray’sfriendswenttothe SeafordDuPontplant,whichhadopened25years earlier.Machineryoperated24hoursaday,especially withtheNylondemandcomingfromtheVietnam War.“Aslongasyoucouldbreatheandwalk,theylet youin,”andthepaywasbetter,Murrayquipped.He stayedatDuPontforaboutsevenyearsbeforeworkingintohisownE.B.Murray&Soncarpentrycom-

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pany(nowhisson’scompany,DavidT.Murray Contracting).

OceanViewhaditsownjailatonetime, Nippeswrote.“Fromrumorsandlegendsthat I’vehadpeopletellme,thereweresomeyoung gentlemenwhogotrowdyandwerethrowninto jail.Aftertheygotout,they,orsomeoftheir buddies,plantedsomegunpowderunderneath ofitandblewitup.Itwasneverrebuilt.”

IfanyonewenttoBeebeMedicalCenter “youwereeithercominghomewithababy,or youweren’tcominghome,”saidJayHerrington, whosemotherworke dasanurse’saide.

Funtimes

Peoplesocializedinchurch,scoutsand civicgroups,suchastheMasons,Eastern Star,VFWandLionsClub.

Buttheentiretownwasachild’splay-

Kidsofallageslovedsports.Here,BarbaraSlavinshowsolduniforms fromtheLordBaltimoreSchoolteamandtheRedCombsadultsoftball league.

PhotobyTylerValliant

ground.Kidsadventuredinthewoods,huntingfor NativeAmericanartifactsandemergingwithmany arrowheads.

“Wedidn’trealizewhatwehad,”Woodsaid. “Whatdidwehave?Wehadageographythatwas justspectacular,”andneighborswhodidn’tcareifthe childrenstoletheirrowboatsbecausetheyknewthe kidswouldreturnthem.

“Youneverfeltunsafe,”JayHerringtonsaid.“Nobodytookthekeysoutoftheircar.”“Wedidn’thave thecrime.Everybodykneweachother,”Hickman said.

Whenboredasachild,shewanderedtothe neighbors’housetotalk.“Asakid,youweresafe whereveryouwent.Everywomanonthestreetknew you,”andwoulddoleoutpunishmentformisbehavior, BobHerringtonsaid.Or,she’dtelephonetheparents, andtheoffenderwouldbeintroublebeforearriving

HannahHickman sailsatAndy’s Wharfnear DaiseyAvenueand WhiteCreek,circa 1950.

Photocourtesy HannahHickman

home,joke dGeraldHockerSr. Adancehallwaslocatedatthe present-dayKoolBeancafé.“Mymom anddadwenttherewhenIwaslittle. Theydancedinthebackroom,”saidBill Cobb,whowasmoreinterestedinthe swingingboatsonsite.“Kidsusedtoget intheseboats,pullaropeandtheboat wouldswingbackandforth.Theysat thereforyears.”

knowthatIwasn’tallowedtogo,” saidHickman.“Theservicemenatthe beach,theylovedtogotherebecauseit wastheonlyplacetodance,…andthey couldhaveabeer,whichwasn’tavailable inBethany,”adrytownuntilthemid20thcentury.

Thedancehalllaterbecamea snackbar,withsodafountain,jukebox, oothsandbarstools.Thiswaspopular withtheLBstudents,evenduringthe schoolday,BobMurraysaid.“You’dtry tosneakoverthereforlunch.Ifyougot caught,youreallygotintrouble.”After athleticgames,kidsfunneledacrossthe streettothesodafountain.“Itwouldbe jam-packed,”shesaid.

Ontheweekends,teensdatedatthe firehalldancesinBethanyBeachorMillville.

“Normally,ifyouweren’tmarriedbythetime youwere20,everybodysaid,‘What’swrong?’”saidElbridgeMurray,whohasbeenmarriedsince1966.

Theyspentspecialeveningsstrollingthe BethanyBeachboardwalkorcatchingabandin OceanCity,Md.

Summerwasforfishing,beachdays,Little League,IndependenceDayparties,theMillvilleVolunteerFireCompanyfireman’sfestival.(“Itwasa placetoseepeople,”Hickmansaid.)

Autumndayswereforschoolsports,pick-up footballandmoviesinOceanCity,Selbyville,DagsboroorMillsboro.

“Itwasacar-focusedarea,becauseyoucouldn’t doanythingunlessyouhadacar,”saidWood.

Millsboro’sbowlingalleywasspecialforyoung Timmons,whomethisfuturewifethere.Decades later,in2009,theyfoundeachotheragainandwere marriedthreemonthsafterthat.

Winterwasforhuntingandshooting,sledding

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continuedfrompage44

andafterhoursbasketballintheLB gym.Themosttrustedofstudents couldobtainthegymnasiumkey, openingtheschoolforanyoneto playbasketballonweekends.

Notevenabitterlycoldwinterin thelate1950scouldslowthemdown. Whenthewaterwasfrozensolidat StrawberryLanding(today,partof theAssawomanWildlifeArea),“Kids calledaround…toseewhohadice skates,”Parsonssaid.Theyswipedfieldhockeysticks fromschool,Lathburysaid,litsmallbonfiresand markedtheicewithsmudgepotsborrowedfrom home.(Smudgeisasmokyoutdoorfireusedtokeep

LordBaltimoreschoolshavealwaysbeenspecialtothelocalcommunity.eolderschool(above)wasbuiltaround1920,serving allchildren.Itbecameanelementaryschoolwhenthenewerbuilding(below)wasbuiltin1930.

insectsawayorprotectplantsagainstfrost.)

“Sorrytosay,butHalloweenwasmore oftenfortricksthantreats,”Justicesaid.“Many outhouseswereturnedoveranddoorknobswere greased,andeggsandrottenvegetableswere used.Andsometimestherevelers…woundup cleaninguptheverymesstheymade.”

“Onthewhole,wedidn’tgetinawholelot oftroubleforthattime.Ifwedidnowwhatwe didthen,wewould’vebeenjuveniledelinquents,” Lathburyjoked.“Wewould’vebeenlockedup somewhere.”

OceanViewwasevenhonoredtohostthe 1989DelmarvaChickenFestival,whichwas“a bigdeal…forthislittleone-horsetown,”saidElbridge Murray,whowasatowncouncilmanatthetime.

Meanwhile,theHockerchildrenperformedin localclubsthreenightsaweek.

“Allfiveofussangandplayedmusiconradioand TVfor17years,”wroteCollins.“EveryThursday,[LB Principal]WalterBranfordcalledanassemblyinthe cafeteria,andallthestudentsgottolistentothe Hockerfamilyforahalf-houronWB OC”radio.

Towncounciloversawgrowth

CecileLongSteele andDavid ‘Wilmer’Steele, circa1928,before helefttheCoast Guardtohelpwith herfulltimepoultry operation.

Photocourtesy BobHerrington

Despiteadistinctlackofbearsintheareainthe 1990s,localswerebuzzingaboutanew“beartrap.” Peoplewerebeginningtonoticewhatapeacefularea OceanViewwas,soclosetothebeach,soCarlM. FreemanCommunitiesboughtachunkoflandsouth oftownandbeganplanningtheBearTrapDunes GolfClubandTheVillageatBearTrapDunescommunity.AndsomeOceanViewcitizenswerewaryof theFreemans’desiretoannexintotown.

“BearTrapmorethandoubledthesizeofthe towninoneday,”BobParsonssaid.

Itwasanarrowvotetoannexthemassivepropertyintotownlimits,andthereweredefinitekinksto fix.Thedeveloperwantedsmallerlotsizesandahigher densitythanOceanViewhadseen,saidDavidLongSr.

“Asataxadvantage,itseemedliketherightthing todo,”Slavinsaid.ItincreasedOceanView’staxrevenueandpaidformorepublicsafety,whichiswhat olderfolkstrulywanted,BobHerringtonsaid.

ButthebiggercontroversywasTown-provided sewerandwater,whichcameduringGaryMeredith’s tenureasmayorintheearly2000s.

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“Everybodywantedsewer, buttheywantedustopayforit. Thatwasabighassle,”butitfinallypassed,saidDavidLongSr., whoservedonthePlanning& ZoningCommissionforabout 20years,startingaround1974.

Wellsandsepticsystems hadcoveredtheDelmarva Peninsulafordecades.And thatwasconsideredfinefor ruralpopulations,“butwith thepopulationanddensitylike wehavetoday,itwouldnever worktoday,”hesaid.

TheTownalsopurchasedtheTunnel-Westproperty(nowtheOceanViewHistorical Complex),expandedJohnWestParkandremodeled TownHall.

ButMeredithwasn’ttheonlypersonwhoretired

fromtheWashington,D.C.,area.toOceanView inthe1990s.

“We’vehaddramaticchangetothepolicedepartmentsinceItookoverthehelmaschiefin 2001,”saidPoliceChiefKenMcLaughlin.“That wasadirectresultofthechangeinthearea—the housingboomandthenumberofpeoplerelocatingandretiringinsoutheasternSussexCounty.”

Thedepartmenthadn’tchangedmuchinthe previous30-plusyears,butathree-manteam wasn’tcuttingitanymore.

“Wewereinalittleone-roomshackthatweactuallysharedwithourtownmaintenancestaff,” McLaughlinsaid.“IfIneededtospeakwithsomeoneprivately,wewouldgooutsidetomyotheroffice, whichwasapicnictableinJohnWestPark.”Hehad towalktoanotherbuildingtomakephotocopies.“It wasprettyprimitive,”hesaid.

SotheTownstaffmovedacrosstown,tothe WallaceA.MelsonMunicipalBuilding,whichwas designedandbuiltin2007asanewpolicestationbut re-envisionedsoonafterwiththepolicedownstairsand TownHallstaffupstairs.

WeknowOceanView.

ButtheofficialTownHallitselfremainsnextdoor tothepark,openforcouncilmeetingsandotherpublic events.

Happymemories

“Wegrewupinawonderfultime.Nowaycana childdotodaywhatwedid,becausechildprotective serviceswouldbein,”BobHerringtonjoked.“Wefell intoasafetynetofmanygoodneighbors.Thebiggest influenceonmylife,aftermydaddied,werethemenof theMillvilleVolunteerFireCompany.”

“Iwouldn’ttradeit,thekindoflifestylewehad,for anything.Peoplehadvalues.Youhadasenseofcommunity.Youknewalotofpeople,”Timmonssaid.“Peopleseemedtobeveryfriendlybackthen.Stillare.We hadfungrowingup.”

Nowadays,mostpeoplemightspendeveningson thecomputerorwiththeTV,butpeoplewentvisiting intheolderdays.TheyhadSundaypotlucks,visited andplayedcards.

JustastheHerringtonbrotherswerelaughingand reminiscing,theyrememberedadultstellingstoriesof theirownyouths,perhapsasacabinboyinthe1800s. They’veheardWorldWarIIveteransdescribeliberatingGermanconcentrationcamps—anunbelievable sightforSussexCountynativestowitness.EvenWood, whoreturnedtoOceanViewafterdecadesaway,said hisfavoriteholidaywasThanksgiving,whenhisuncles sharedoldtugboatingstories.

Now,JayHerringtonlivesinFlorida,andhis brotherBobstilllivesinhischildhoodhomeinOcean View.“We’llbethelastonestoturnthelightsout,”he mused.

“There’salottolovearoundhere,”JayHerrington said.“You’vejustgottoembraceit....[Don’t] chaseyour lifeawaywaitingforittobegood.Peoplealwayswished itwasthegoodolddays.Thegoodolddaysarenow.”

—StorybyLauraWalter

A on the

Community Rise

OceanViewisatownthathasseenagreatdeal ofgrowthinrecentyears—withagreatdealof once-agriculturallandsbeingtradedforresidentialdevelopmentsandagrowingcommercialcorridor. Still,ithasbeenabletoretainitscharm,whichiswhyso manypeoplechoosetolivethere.

“Ithasaveryquietcharmtoit,”saidPlanning&ZoningChairmanGaryMeredith,whowasthetown’sfirst electedmayor,in2002.

Althoughafewrecentyearssawconflict amongtown councilmembersovervariousissues,thingshavequieted down,withcurrentcouncilmembersCarolBodine,Tom Maly,BillOlsenandFrankTwardzik,ledbyMayorWal-

isgiantneighborhood doubledthesizeofOcean Viewovernight.eVillage atBearTrapDunesislocatedonagolfcoursewitha clubhouseandrestaurant.

CoastalPointphoto byTylerValliant

terCurran,workingrelativelyharmoniouslytogetherfor thebettermentofthemunicipality.

“Ithasbeenbetter,certainly,sinceI’vebeenonthe board,”saidCurran.“ereweresomecontentiouspeople whowereonpriorcouncilswhojustunnecessarily,Ithink, stirredupissues.ingshavequieteddown.Icredit[formermayor]GordonWoodSr.[who]startedtheprocess.

“Itworksverywelltoday.Everybodybringstheirown pointofview.Tome,thebestthingaboutbeinginatown likethis—there’sverylittlepolitics,believeitornot.ere’s notmuchpoliticalgrandstandinglikeyouseeinthestate levelor,Godforbid,Washington,D.C.”

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CurransaidtherunningoftheTownisverymuch likethatofasmallbusiness.

“Iliketothinkwehaveverygoodservice.We’vegotan excellentstaﬀworkingfortheTown.ingsaregoing alongsmoothly.Tokeepitgoingsmoother,youhavetopay attention;therearealotofdetails.”

e2010Censusreportedthatthecurrent,yearroundpopulationinthetownwas1,882,whichdoesnot accountfortheinfluxofseasonalvisitorslookingtoenjoya retreatnearthebeach.

AccordingtoOceanViewTownManagerDianne Vogel,arecentSussexCountyreportstatedthatthepopulationincreaseinOceanViewfrom2000to2010was80 percent—thesecond-highestincreaseamongthe24municipalitieswithinthecounty.

Presently,thereareapproximately3,250totallotsin OceanView,with2,290(or70percent)ofthemhavingbeen improved,withtheremaining960listedasunimproved.

PerhapstheTown’smostshiningassetisJohnWest Park,nestledoﬀofbusyRoute26onWestAvenue.e parkboastspicnictables,apavilion,exerciseandplaygroundequipmentandrestrooms.

“Ithinkitstillhasa small-towncharm.… Thesidestreetsare stillveryquiet.We hardlyeverhearanything exceptwhenthe firealarmgoesoff.

”—BarbaraSlavin

ingsstilltakeplace,thoughtheTown’sday-to-dayoperationshavebeenmovedtothemunicipalbuildingonCentralAvenue,southofRoute26.

eparkhasbeenthesiteofTown-sponsoredevents includingHomecoming,ConcertsintheParkandChristmasinthePark.

“Anyonewhohaseverusedorseenthatparkhassaid goodthingsaboutit,”saidCurran.“Beingagrandparent,I godownwhenthegrandkidscomein,andtheyloveit.It’s muchmoregrandparent-andparent-friendlythanany otherparksaround.Ithaslargetrees,withalotofshade, wheretheminderorcaretakercansitandseeeverything that’sgoingonwiththekids,withoutsittinglikeachicken broilinginapan.”

“Ithinktheparkisactuallybetter-equippedthanthe TownofBethanyBeach’s.Allthatequipmentandswings —they’vedoneareallynicejob.Ithinkoneofthebigattractionstothetownisnearnesstothebeach,”added Meredith.

Afteralltheseyears,Lord BaltimoreElementary Schoolisstillaninstitution forchildreninsouth coastalDelaware.

AlthoughthetrailislocatedentirelyonState-owned property,OceanViewalsoincludesastretchoftheAssawomanCanalTrail—aone-miletrailthatisitselfpartof aregionalnetworkoftrails,sidewalksandpathwaysfor pedestriansandbicyclists.

eparkalsohasawalkingtrailthatisdog-friendly, andisadjacenttotheOceanViewHistoricalSociety’shistoricalcomplexandtheoldtownhall,wherecouncilmeet-

CoastalPointphoto byTylerValliant

Oncefullycompleted,thetrailwilllinkthemunicipalitiesofOceanView,BethanyBeachandSouth Bethany,andthecommunitiesofSeaColonyandBahamasBeachCottages.

esustainably-designed,8-foot-widetrailmeanders alongtheAssawomanCanal,withauniformnatural crushed-stonesurfacetooffersolidfootingforwalkers,joggersandcyclists.A20-footvegetativebufferoneitherside wasdesignedtoofferneighboringresidentsprivacyandto helppreventpotentialfutureerosion.etrailaccommodatespedestriansandbicyclistsonly,andisopenfrom8 a.m.tosunset,sevendaysaweek.

etrailisaccessibleviaTownRoad,OspreyLane andCentralAvenue.Asmallparkinglotandrestroomare availableattheTownRoadtrailhead,nexttoBethany BeachSurfShop’slocationinOceanView.

“It’sdefinitelyanassettothetown,”saidCurranofthe path.

Police,townstaﬀanassetfortheTown

eTown’sinfrastructurealsoincludestheWallace A.MelsonMunicipalBuilding,whichopeneditsdoorsin 2007andhousestheTown’sadministrativestaﬀ,aswellas theOceanViewPoliceDepartment,ledbyChiefKenneth McLaughlin.

BobHerringtonstillownsa classicOceanViewPolice Departmentreplicacar, althoughpatrolcarswere unmarkedbackintheday.

is1968Plymouth Satelliteincludesclassicgear, including–no,notcartoon bombs–twoflaresforroadsideemergencies.

CoastalPointphoto byTylerValliant

“Ourpolicedepartment—Iabsolutelybelieveisone ofthebest-trained departmentsinthestate,”saidCurran. “KennyMcLaughlindoesamagnificentjob.”

Currently,thedepartmenthasnineoﬃcers,asecretaryandvolunteers,aswellasseasonalreceptioniststo meetthedemandforservices.

We’vehaddramaticchangetothepolicedepartment sinceItookoverthehelmaschiefin2001,”saidMcLaughlin.“It’sbeeninteresting.We’vecomealongwayoverthe last15years.”

Inpastyears,thedepartmenthasdealtwithattrition,

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With over 100 transactions and over 40 million dollars in sales volume in the last 12 months, Seaside Seven is a group of Keller Williams agents with a top producing record in the Delaware Beach Market!

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asahandfulofoﬃcersleftforotheremploymentopportunities.

“And,likeeveryothersmallpolicedepartmentina smallarea,wehavegoodfolksinthere,andtheywantto getahead,too,”saidCurranfrankly.“Wearetakingstepsto oﬀsetthat,tomakesureourwagesandbenefitspackages —notonlyforthepolice,butforeverybody—arecompetitive.Bythesametoken,wecan’tbecometheCadillacona Chevroletbudget.It’sabalancingact,andatthispointI thinkwearedoingaverygoodjobwithwhatwe’vegot.”

atsaid,McLaughlinsaidhisgoalistoensurehis departmentiswell-trainedandcommunity-oriented.

“Community-orientedpolicingiswhatweliketo practicehere,”saidMcLaughlin.“Weunderstandinvestigatingcrimesandcrimecontrolisimportant,butthere’re otherthingsweneedtofocusonaswell.

“Helpingadisabledpersonbringingintheirtrashcan, thesafetypatrolsattheschool,keepingtabsonourelderly…Ialwaystellmyfolks:ourgoalistobemembersof thecommunity,notjustenforcersofthelaw.Forsmalltowncops,communitypolicingisourbreadandbutter. at,inturn,generatesthedeeprelationshipswehave withthecommunity.It’sabsolutelycriticalthatwemaintainthataswegrowandnotlosesightofthataswegrow.”

roughouthistenure,McLaughlinsaid,hehas workedhardtocreateandmaintainprofessionalpolicing standards—fromtrainingtoequipmenttopersonnel.

Withthegrowthofthearea,McLaughlinsaid,the areaisnotimmunetocrime.edepartmenthasfaced,

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Justoutsidetownlimits,OceanViewMarinastillprovides accesstoWhiteCreekandIndianRiverBay. CoastalPointphoto byTylerValliant

Pictured from left to right - Ann Baker, Tammy Hadder, Shelby Smith, Laurie McFaul, Christina Antonioli, Anna Meiklejohn and Sarah Schifano

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alongwiththerestofthecountry,agrowingheroinproblem.

“Wehavethesameproblemthateveryoneinthestate andcountryhas—theheroin,opioidaddictionissue. at’sstillveryproblematic;alotofpeoplearesuﬀering.

“Notalothasbeendoneaboutit.Ithinkweneedto getahandleonthatissueasacountry.at’sgoingtocontinuetoplagueusasacommunity,”hesaid,notingthe Town’spolicedepartment,whichwasthefirstinthestate tocarryNarcan,anopiateantidote,hadrecentlyhadan overdosesave.

“Problemsthatstemfromthatissueincludeproperty crimes,burglaries,thefts…at’ssomethingwe’regoingto strugglewithfortheforeseeablefuture.It’ssowidespread; it’sacomplexissuetobeginwith.”

oughlawenforcementistheirprimaryobjective, McLaughlinsaiditisimportanttorememberthedepartmentispartofacommunity.In2015,thedepartmentcreatedCops&Goblins,afamily-friendlytrick-or-treating eventinthetownpark,asawaytobringthecommunity andpolicetogether.

“We’vegotaveryrichhistoryofcommunitypolicing

“ ” Icanseewhyallthese

peoplewanttobehere. It’sagreatplacetobe.

—HannahHickman

hereinOceanView,andwe’regoingtodoeverythingwe cantomaintainthat—ourcommunitytiesandcommunity-basedfunctions—inthefuture,despitethecontinued needformorecrime-basedpolicing.Hopefully,wecan keepitallbalanced.”

Duginthelate1800s,the peacefulAssawomanCanal connectstwoinlandbays,the LittleAssawomanandIndian Riverbays.

CoastalPointPhoto bySusanLyons

Curransaidalltowndepartmentsandemployees haveatruecommitmenttomakingthetownag tolive.

“Ithinkthetownisingoodshape.eTown,from toptobottom,hasgotagreatstaff.Fromthetownmanagertothemaintenancestaff,theyareallgood,”hesaid. “Rightnow,Ithinkthestaffisthetown’sbiggestasset.I thinkourtownmanagerisoneofthebestI’veeverworked withorcomeacross.[PublicWorksDirector]Charlie McMullen—heisverygoodathisjob.He’sagreatdetail guy,andheworkshistailoff.

“[FinanceDirector]LeeBrubakerdoesafantasticjob asthenewcontroller,CFO,man-with-the-money.Hedoes amagnificentjob.We’vegotareallygoodstaﬀ.Iseemyjob istomakesuretheystaybetweentheguidepostsinthe road.ItalktoDiannealot,because,asabusinessman,I learnedalongtimeagothatyounevermicromanage.You learntodelegate,”Curransaid.

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‘

’ It’s a nice area for people to raise their kids, and I think that’s one reason a lot of people are moving in.

—David LongJr.

—David LongJr. It’s a nice area for people to raise their kids, and I think that’s one reason a lot of people are moving in.

Infrastructure,financesa focusforthefuture

CurranaddedthattheTownis in“prettygoodshape”financially.

“Itisawell-runtown,”hesaid.

VogelechoedCurran’ssentiments,notingthecouncil’scommitmenttofiscalresponsibility.

“eTownhasanobligationto maintainsignificantinfrastructure, suchasbuildings,theJohnWest Park,drainagesystemsandapproximately23milesofstreets.”

Vogelsaidthat,inorderto maintaintheTown’sassets,twolongtermmaintenancereservefunds wereestablished approximately10 yearsago—theCapitalReplacementandStreetRepair&MaintenanceReservefunds.

“Asnewdevelopmenttakes placeintheTown,additionalinfrastructurethatmustbemaintained willbeaddedtotheTown’s‘portfolio,’”saidVogel.“eTowncontinues toincreaseitsmaintenanceandrepairreservesfromcurrent,monthly transfer-taxrevenueinordertoprovideadditionalfundingforfuture maintenanceobligations.”

eTowndoesacompletereassessmentofalltaxed properties everyfiveyears,withthenextfullreassessmentscheduledforthe2018 fiscalyearpropertytaxbilling.

“Aftermanyyears”—more than10—“withoutapropertytax increase,thetaxrateforthefiscal yearendedApril30,2010,[the2010 fiscalyear],wasestablishedat $0.1059per$100ofassessedvalue,” saidVogel.“ecurrentpropertytax rateis$0.1652per$100ofassessed value.”

Anongoingissueinthetownis drainage—somethingCurransaid

thecouncilisworkinghardtoaddress.

“Drainageisabigissue,andit’s spreadoutalloverthetown,”hesaid. “erearestillafewpeopleoutthere whodon’tbelieveDelawareisaflat state.Whenitrains3inchesinsix hours,you’regoingtohavepuddles. Havingsaidthat,though,youwant tominimizethosepuddles.People needtoknow,canwefixtheproblem?”

AssawomanCanalTrail,forwatersidehikes. CoastalPointphotobyTylerValliant JohnWestPark,forfestivalsandfun. CoastalPointphotobyTylerValliant

In2015,theTownhadameetingregardingdrainage,whichCurransaidpe plehadbeen tureofthepropertiesinvolved,sothe ownerscouldhaveabetterideaof wherethesidewalkswouldbe placed,toperhapsputthosewhoare

holdingoutatease.

eTownisalsointheprocessofreviewingitsComprehensiveLandUsePlan,designedtohelpguidethefuture growthofthecommunity.

“Idobelieveyouneedtomonitoritandcontrolit.Idon’t believeinuncontrolledgrowth.ButIthinkthelatestadditions herehavebeenveryhelpful,”saidCurran,notingthesomewhat recentadditionsofCVSPharmacyandRoyalFarms.“Ithink they’vebeengoodneighborsandassetstothetown.”

etownthatonce,aslegendhasit,hadanoceanview fromatticwindows,hasprogressedovertheyears,butthrough allthatchange,hasbeenabletomaintainitssmall-town lifestyleandcharm.

“ey’llsay,‘TellusaboutOceanView,Del.’I’llsay, ‘OceanView,Del.,hasmanyviews,butnoneoftheocean,”

‘

’ We’recertainlynotallcountrypeople.The peoplethathavemovedheretoretire, they’regreatasfarasI’mconcerned.… Theygetinontownaffairs,they’reontown council,soit’sworkedoutforwellfor

Walkorrideit:OneofDelaware’snewesttrailswilleventually leadalongthecanalallthewaytoSouthBethany. CoastalPointphotobyTylerValliant

HOCKER’S

family-runbusiness.Ispentalotoftime atLewis’sFlowerShoponCentralAvenue, astheirdaughterandIweregoodfriends andstillaretoday.

AtlanticandCentral,wheretheRoyalFarmsisnow located.Thestorewasclosedbythen,buthewould alwaysstandonthecorner,leaningonhiscane,and wouldwaveitintheairateverypassingcar,andwe wouldallwaveback.

AnotherwouldbeJeannetteBetts—self-proclaimedtownhistorian.Shecouldtellyouanything youeverwantedtoknowaboutOceanView,or Delawareforthatmatter,andspokeatthefamous town“homecomings.”Butyoudidnotwanttogeton herbadside,becauseshecould“tellyouathingor two”(SussexCountyslang,foryounewcomers),and itdidnotmatterwhereyouwereandwhoyouwere with.Icanvouchforthatfirsthand.

EventhoughhelivedinCedarNeck,Iwouldbe remissifIdidnotmentionJakeHocker,thefounder ofG&EGrocery,thencalledJake’s,andtheuncleof GeraldHockerSr.Heplayedameansteelguitarand lovedHawaiianmusic.SeveraltimesIremember goingtohishousewithmyparentsandlisteningto himplay.Icanstillseehimtalkingamileaminute whilecuttingasteakoffaslabofmeatandwrapping itupforus.

BobOremwasagentlemanIgottoknowasI gotolder—aformermayorofthetown—andIalwaysenjoyedourlongconversationsabouteverything underthesun.Hehadahugecollectionofantique pictureframes.

Icouldrambleonandonaboutthepeople, placesandmemorieslonggonefromOceanView,but Iwillleavetherestforotherstoshare.TheCoastal PointisproudtobeapartofOceanView,asourofficeislocatedhereintownandisnowtherecorderof itspast,itspresentanditsfuture.Enjoy! v

(Above)Itwasn’tanequalsocietybyanymeans,butinthe1800s, slaveswerewelcometoworshipatOceanViewPresbyterian Church.isstonehonorsthepeoplewhoendured forcedservitude.

CoastalPointphotobyLauraWalter

(Right)Knickknacks,toolsanddishwarefillashelfattheTunnellWestHouse,whichpresentsahistoricsliceoflifeinoldOcean View.Localdonationshavehelpedtofillthehouseandhistorical site,maintainedbyOceanViewHistoricalSociety.

CoastalPointphotobyTylerValliant

The Future ofOceanView

ByKerinMagill

Twodecadesago,OceanView’sfuturewas thesourceofmuchconjecture,astownofficialsfieldedapplicationsforeverythingfrom anamusementparktoasprawlingdevelopment withthepotentialtoexplodethetown’spopulation.

Today,thatdevelopmentisknownasThe VillageatBearTrapDunesandisawell-establishedpieceinthetown’sdevelopmentpuzzle. Theamusementparkapplicationisjustamemory.Thedevelopmentboomofthemid-tolate1990sisintherearviewmirror—sowhatlies ontheroadaheadforthetownofOceanView?

ViewwithhisnewwifeafterWorldWarII.

“Ithinkit’sgoingtobearesidentialtownfortheforeseeablefuture,”Longsaid,“butthewayzoningandplanninghasbeen,we’renotgoingtobecrampedup. Youcanonlyputacertainnumberperacre,and therewillbemorebusinesses,butthey’llbecontrolled throughourordinances,ourzoningand everything.Idon’tthinkyou’llseeanything rowdy,”Longsaid,addingthattownordinances areinplacetocontrolthehoursofanybusiness withthepotentialtocreatenoiseordisturbance.

Manytownresidentsseemtothinkthetownisjust finethewayitis.Onelongtimeresident,whoalsohelped guidethetown’sgrowthfromthe1970stothe1990s,on itsplanningcommission,saidgood,responsibleplanning hasbeenthekeytoOceanView’sbrightfuture.

“Ican’tsayenoughaboutOceanView,andalotof thatisbecauseofzoning,”saidDavidLongSr.,88.“It’scontrolled.WecouldhaveaWal-Mart,alotofso-called ‘bigbox’stores.Wedon’tsay,‘Youcan’tcomein’,butthere’salot ofrestrictionsyoumaynotwanttodo.Anythingthat comesinherehastobeprettycleanandfamily-oriented.”

LongwasraisedinRoxanabutmovedtoOcean

OceanView’s popularitymightbe itsbiggest challenge inthefuture.

Long’ssonandnamesake,DavidLongJr.,is 61andalmostalifelongresidentintown.He saidheseesOceanView’spopularityasitsbiggestchallengeinthefuture.

“Theamountofpeople,”hesaid,“andthey’vesomewhataddressedthatwithroadconstructionon[Route] 26.I’msurethere’sgoingtobemorebusinessescomingin. Itusedtobealazylittletown,andnowit’sbecominga goodplaceforbusinessestoopenup—especiallyifyou’re seasonal,becauseofpeoplecomingtoBethany,andthey use26togotoRehobothandOceanCity,also.”

Onelongtimeresident,ElbridgeMurrayIII,hasseen thetown’sprogressionasbothabuilderand atowncouncil

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member,andsaidthat,despitesomeheadachesthatcomewithgrowth, “IstillloveOceanView.OceanViewismyhome.”

Murraysaidthatduringhistimeonthecouncil,between1985 and1994,“Wehadsubdivisionscomeandgo,anditseemedlikewe couldalwaysworkitout.”

“Growthisgoingtocome,”hesaid.“It’sjustlikewhereIlivenow,”he saidofhishomeacrossfromtherapidlydevelopingBeachClubcommunity.“I’mnotdumbtothefactthat,fiveyearsfromnow,thefield near whereIlivewillprobablyhave75to80housesinthere.”

Whenthetownheldareferendumonwhethertoallowtheproposed BearTrapDunesdevelopmenttoannexintotown,then-towncouncil-presidentBobOrem stoodinthetownhallandreflectedonthefiercefightthathad dividedOceanViewresidentsfor months.

“Idon’tlikehowcloseit was,”Oremsaidofthereferendum,whichhandedBearTrap itsapprovalbyamerehandfulof votes.Hesaidhefeltthetown wasirreconcilablydivided.

Somefamiliessoldtheirland, towatchitbecomehousing developments.Otherbuildings werepickedupandcarriedaway —suchasanothershort-lived grocerystoreatRoute26and WestAvenue,whichBillCobb saysisstillstandingin RehobothBeachtoday.

ButBettyMurray,alifelong OceanViewresident(untilthe couplemovedjustbeyondtownlimitsonDoubleBridgesRoadabout 20yearsago),isphilosophicalaboutthechangesinOceanViewinthe pastcoupleofdecades.

“ItwasOK,”shesaid.“Iwasn’tupset,becauseIlovedthebeach,so whyshouldn’totherpeopleenjoyit,too?”shesaid,addingthatshe knowsotherswoulddisagreewithher.

ShesaidthefearsofmanythatOceanViewwouldloseitssmalltowncharm havenotcometofruition.

“ThewayIfeelnow—it’sjustthere’salotofpeopledownhere. Someofthepeoplearereallyniceandfriendly,andsomewanttobring theirideasintotown.Theymovedherebecausetheyloveditthewayit was,”shesaid,wonderingaloudwhythosesamepeoplesometimes wanttobringchanges.

School,developmentareongoingconcerns

AlthoughtheadditionofBearTrapcertainlybroughtgrowthto thetown,itsonlyschool,LordBaltimoreElementary,hasseenlittle growthinstudentpopulationinrecentyears,and,infact,theschool’s enrollmenthasactuallydecreasedafewtimesinrecentyears,generally stayinginthe620to650range.

WhileschoolsinthenorthernendofSussexCountyarebursting attheseams,LordBaltimore’sissuesaremorerelatedtotheageofthe

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school—apotentialupcomingreferendumcouldaddress issuessuchascracksinanagingstaircaseandrepairstoa mechanicalroom,wherewaterisgettingintothebuilding.

IndianRiverSchoolDistrictSuperintendentSusan BuntingsaidinanApril2016interviewthatthedistrict wantstohonorits“historic”schools,suchasLordBaltimore,whichwasbuiltin1930,andkeeptheminworking order.“Wedoknowwhattheymeantothecommunities,” Buntingsaid.

A2000referendumfundedanexpansionatLord Baltimoreandnineotherbuildingsinthedistrict,aswellas constructionoftwonewhighschoolbuildings—Indian RiverandSussexCentral.

GlennTimmons,65,wasamemberofthelastgraduatingclassofLordBaltimorewhenitwasahighschool,in 1968.Hisperspectiveisthatofanative,aswellasofsomeonewhocamebackaftermorethanthreedecadesliving awayinthe“city”—Washington,D.C.

AskedabouthisbiggestconcernforOceanView’sfuture,Timmonssaid,“Development.…Isitevergoingto end?Therearemorecommunitiesanddevelopments springingupeverywhere.”

‘WhenIwasgrowing

up,therewasmaybe 400people.Compare thattodaytoallthe developmenttoday withBearTrapand alltheothers.’

—GlennTimmons

OceanView’scurrentmayor,WalterCurran,saiddevelopmentoftheexisting150-acrecommunityknownas SilverWoods,whichhasbeenannexedintotownlimits,is “fairlysignificant,”sinceproposedplansincludeashopping centerandmedicalcenterthatcancareforAlzheimer’s patients.

“That’sfairlysignificant,”Curransaid.“But,beyond that,Idon’tsee thingschangingthatmuchintermsofdevelopment.”

ApairofbrotherswhogrewupinOceanViewreflectedrecentlyonthetown’sgrowthanditsfuture.Bob Herrington,61,wasoneofthecitizenswhosupportedthe annexationofBearTrapintotownbackinthe1990s.

“It’sgoingtobebuilt.It’samatterofwhetherit’sbuilt intown,”whichwouldgivethetownbenefitsthatincluded transfertaxrevenues,Herringtonrecalledoftherallying cryforBearTrapsupporters.

HisbrotherJay,57,nowlivesinFlorida,butmaintainshisOceanViewroots.

“Iwanttosee OceanViewbegreatinanintelligent manner,”hesaid.“There’sgoingtobedevelopment.Aslong asit’sdoneaccordingtocodeandit’ssmart,”hesaid,hesupportsit.

JayHerringtonalsosaidthetownneedstomaintaina diversebusinesscommunity.

Morepeoplemeansmoretraffic.Buta2.5-yearroadconstructionprojectwascompletedintheautumn of2016toimprovetrafficflowandsafety.Here,stateandlocalofficialscelebratetheribbon-cutting fortheStateRoute26MainlineImprovementProject. CoastalPointphotobyLauraWalter

Future

“Ithinkthatweneedtobealittlebitsmarterabout business,”hesaid.“Notjustcertainbusinesses…ifyouwere alawyerorabank,thatwasanOKbusinessinhere,but whataboutastore?Whataboutthethings thatsupporta community?Doyouwantthemspendingmoneyhereor goingsomewhereelse?”

BobHerringtonsaidhisfamilysupportedtheconstructionoftheRoyalFarmsconveniencestore,whichwas anothercontroversialadditiontothetown,alongwiththe CVSstorenexttoit,attheintersectionofRoute26and WestAvenue.

“Mostoftheold-timepeoplewerenotsomuchwantingtoembracethenewdevelopmentsandthings,”buthe feelsdifferently.“You’ve gottoembracewhat’scoming,”he said.

Infrastructure,financesafocusforthe future

FormerOceanViewMayorGordonWoodSr.,80,is partofafamilywhoserootsgobacksevengenerationsin OceanView.Woodworriesthattoday’syouthfeelthey mustseekemploymentelsewhereaftergraduation.

‘I’msorrytosee… they’refussingabout thefiresiren,because that’spartofour culture.…Thefire sirenletseveryone know,“Thefirefighters areontheroad, solookout,and getoutoftheway!”’

—Robert‘Bob’ Herrington

“Thechildren,iftheygoawaytocollege—unless they’reinrealestate,constructionorteachers,tourismor accountants—thejobsarescarce,”Woodsaid.Herecalled earlierdayswhentheDuPontplantinSeafordwasamajor employerfortheregion,evenforresidentsofeasternSussexCounty.

Woodalsosaidhefeelssomeofthetown’snewestresidentsneedadoseofrealitywhenitcomestoinfrastructureimprovements.

“Peoplewouldcometo[me]andsay,“Well,wewant sidewalks,”hesaid.“Iagree.Weneedsidewalks.We’relucky somelittlekidinastrollerhasn’tbeenkilled.Littlekidson abicycle,”—it’sthesamething,Woodsaid.“Weneedsidewalks.”

Headded thatresidentshavealsoapproachedhim andsaid,“‘Wewantmunicipalgarbagecollection.’‘Wewant municipalthis,wewantmunicipalthat.’Ilookedthemin theeyeandsaid,‘YoujustcameherefromBethesda.One ofthereasonsyoumovedherewasbecausethetaxeswere solow.[If]wedoallthosethingstheydoinBethesda, taxesaregoingtobethesamehereastheywerein Bethesda.’”

Curranagreedthatsidewalksareoneissuethetown needstoaddress.

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“IdobelieveyouneedthemalongCentral,”Curran said.

ThecurrentOceanViewmayoralsosaidspeeding motoristsaregoingtobeaconcerninthefuture.Police ChiefKenMcLaughlinagreedthatlawenforcementissuesingeneralwillneedtobeaddressedintheyearsahead.

“Ifwehaveanothertwodecadesofgrowthsimilarto whatwe’vehad,we’llneedtositdownandrethinkhowwe providepoliceservices,andprobablyfireandEMSservices aswell,”McLaughlinsaid.“Inthefuture,Ithinkthere’s goingtobeaneed formorecollaborationinthecommunities.”

“We’vegotahandfulofsmallpoliceagenciesthat servesoutheasternSussexCounty,alongwiththestate police.Today,thatmodelworks,butifwehaveanotherbig growthspurtoverthenextdecadeorso,Ithinkthere’s goingtocomeatimewherewe’llneedtobringsomeof thesecommunitiestogether,”McLaughlinsaid.

“Maybeinsteadofmultiplesmalleragencies,wehave onelarger,regional-typepolicedepartmenttoprovideenhancedlevelsofservicesthatindividualagenciescan’tdo ontheirown—somekindofcombinedeffort,whether

‘It’shandyifyouwant

togotothecity–[in] acouplehours,you’re closetothecity. Youwanttogotothe beach,it’sacoupleof minutestothebeach.’

—DavidLongSr.

it’saregionalpolicedepartmentorsomeothertypeofcooperativeeffort.Ithinkthere’sarealpossibilityforsomethinglikethattotakeplaceoverthenextdecadeorso,”he said.

BettyMurray,forherpart,saidshehopesthefuturebringstoOceanViewmoreofwhathasmadeit suchapleasantplacetoliveforherentirelife.

“IhopethatOceanViewtriestostillkeepthe hometownatmosphere,”shesaid.“Ihopetheydon’t trytodothingsandwantthingslikeacityoralarge town.

“TheOceanViewtownparkiswonderful.Itreally is.TheOceanViewHistoricalSocietyhasdoneaphenomenaljobdoingrestorationthere.Ithinkthat’sgreat. Ihopethattheykeepdoingthingslikethat,insteadof justtryingtomakeeverythingmodern,”Murraysaid.

Likemanylongtimeresidents,Murrayrememb ers theapplicationfortheamusementparkonRoute26 andhopesthatnothinglikethateverappearsinthe town.

“Iwouldnotwanttoseeanyamusementparks…I don’tthinkweneedhugerestaurantsinOceanView. TheOceanViewdeli,thelittlethings…LetitbesimilartoBerlin[Md.]—somethinglikethat.Justhometownthings.” v

I truly believe that buying real estate can be a fun experience and have been making

Originally from Berlin, MD, I have lived in Sussex County since 1967. I worked in the motel business in Ocean City, MD for 20 years before beginning work in real estate. I have been successful through the years as a top producing agent covering Bethany Beach and its inland areas.

I am a specialist in seniors real estate but enjoy clients of all ages. I love working with clients and developing that rela onship into friendship. That’s when my job becomes so much more!

I am married to a wonderful man and have two children and two precious grandchildren. I enjoy gardening, reading and traveling. I am ac ve in the prayer ministry at Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist in Ocean View and a volunteer for Delaware Hospice.

JoanneYoung

OceanView’spastwillbeitsfuture.eOceanViewHistoricalSocietyhasbigplansforitsgrowinghistoricalcomplex.Builtaround1860,the Tunnell-WestHouse(right)onCentralAvenueholdslocalartifacts,suchasclassicfurniture,tools,clothingandheirloomphotos.OnWestAvenue, CarolynBrunnerintendstooﬃciallydonatetheEvans-Westhouse(left)tothehistoricalsocietyinthespringof2017.Builtaround1900,thehouse andadjacentbarnarelikelytobecometheCoastalTownsMuseum,focusingonthehistoryoftheBaltimoreHundred.Bothhomesarelistedonthe NationalRegisterofHistoricPlaces. PhotobyShaunLambert,left;filephoto,right

ri., 7 a.m.–5 p Mon.–F (302) 539-8749 g