Ocean City
While we were on vacation we stopped by the Ocean City Historical Museum. It's located on Simpson Ave. around 17th St. or so -- not really out of the way but probably a bit off the beaten path for a lot of vacationers. We were the only people there except for the two receptionists/guides, and were given a very nice tour by one of these. I mentioned to the guide how I thought I remembered that in the mid-to-late-70s one could still see the wreck of the Sindia from the boardwalk at 17th St., and that I also recalled that tide used to actually wash under the boardwalk at high tide. It turns out that I wasn't imagining things; they really did happen this way. Go figure.
Ocean City was founded by four Methodist ministers in the late XIXth century as a Christian resort for middle-class families. This is why, to this day, it is still a "dry" town, and also why the blue laws lasted for so long (I can remember when the shops on the boardwalk were closed on Sunday -- Jilly's Arcade would open at midnight on Monday!). Before this, it was known as Peck's Beach and had very few, if any, permanent residents.
One of the things I like best about Ocean City is that it is still a family resort. My kids seemed to sense this instinctively, and sometimes wandered off without waiting for me or their mother. I couldn't bring myself to be too harsh with them. They ought to know better but then again they're used to living in the concrete jungle and staying down the shore is very different. The best part of our vacation was, I think, going to the beach on Thursday and just watching them make all their own fun. Sometimes we get caught up in thinking that children have to be entertained, or stimulated, or whatever. I can certainly sympathize with this. It's just so much easier to let them watch television or to stash them away in school for 6-8 hours a day. But it's not necessary. Children are perfectly capable of entertaining themselves. And some environments (like the beach) help them to do this.
Ocean City was founded by four Methodist ministers in the late XIXth century as a Christian resort for middle-class families. This is why, to this day, it is still a "dry" town, and also why the blue laws lasted for so long (I can remember when the shops on the boardwalk were closed on Sunday -- Jilly's Arcade would open at midnight on Monday!). Before this, it was known as Peck's Beach and had very few, if any, permanent residents.
One of the things I like best about Ocean City is that it is still a family resort. My kids seemed to sense this instinctively, and sometimes wandered off without waiting for me or their mother. I couldn't bring myself to be too harsh with them. They ought to know better but then again they're used to living in the concrete jungle and staying down the shore is very different. The best part of our vacation was, I think, going to the beach on Thursday and just watching them make all their own fun. Sometimes we get caught up in thinking that children have to be entertained, or stimulated, or whatever. I can certainly sympathize with this. It's just so much easier to let them watch television or to stash them away in school for 6-8 hours a day. But it's not necessary. Children are perfectly capable of entertaining themselves. And some environments (like the beach) help them to do this.
posted by dcs at 11:10 AM
2 Comments:
The ocean washing up under the boardwalk was noticeable well into the 80's (and perhaps early 90's). It was most apparent just north of the Wonderland amusement pier. The Sindia was also easily seen up until recently. The beach replinishment project a few years back is responsible.
Yes -- the Sindia is under the 17th St. beach. I wonder how deep one would have to dig in the sand to get a piece of the wreck? ;-)
According to our guide, the boardwalk was designed so that waves from the ocean would go under it. For example, it was built with concrete pilings, the first boardwalk to be built that way.
The boardwalk also used to be longer, but parts of it were wiped out in a hurricane and (later) a nor'easter.
About the only negative to OCNJ, IMO, is having to pay to use the beach.
That's not a negative at all!
Some years ago the residents of OC were asked if they would prefer to raise their taxes or keep the current beach tag system. They voted for the latter. It seems to me that it's only fair that those who use the beach are those who pay to maintain it. Those who don't use the beach shouldn't have to pay to keep it up.
Interestingly enough, I recently found out that OC has a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the beaches.
Post a Comment
<< Home