The More You Know

It's sort of a "slow news week" in the DE/MD resort towns this weekend.  Therefore, I'm filling this space with some area trivia that is somewhat interesting, but not very useful:

• Lewes, DE was once called Whorekill, DE.

• Sussex Country was once named Deale County.

• Dewey Beach was once called Rehoboth City.

• The population of Dewey Beach is only 300, but grows to over 30,000 during the summer season.

• The first "gay friendly" bar in Rehoboth Beach was the Pink Pony.  It opened in 1950 when, at the time, it was illegal to walk around with drinks in your hand.  You could only sit at the bar and speak with the people on either side of you.

The Pink Pony in Rehoboth Beach was destroyed by the great 1962 storm

• There are more than 9,500 hotel rooms and 21,000 condos in Ocean City, MD.

• All of the trash from those rooms and condos (including recyclables) is incinerated at a waste facility in Pennsylvania in order to generate electricity.

• The carousel at Trimpers Amusements in OC is the oldest continuously operating carousel in the United States.  It was installed in 1912.

Sort of Old Timey kids on Trimper's Carousel

• Salvagers known as "moon spinners" used to build bonfires on the beaches between Indian River Inlet and Ocean City to make ships think that they were another ship in distress.  When these ships ran aground, the salvagers would kill and kidnap the passengers and plunder their cargo.

• The Horseshoe Crabs that are so plentiful along the Delaware coast can survive up to one year without eating.

• It's against the law to trick-or-treat in Rehoboth Beach on a Sunday.

• The lighthouse in Fenwick Island cost only $5 to build in 1880.

Fenwick Lighthouse - $5 Worth of Safety

There are a few fun things going on in the resort towns this weekend.  

In Rehoboth, Delaware SPCA is having their 6th Annual Bark on the Boards Dog Walk.  Registration begins at 10:30 AM and the walk starts at noon.  You can also dress up your pup to enter the Most Patriotic Dog Contest.

At 11 AM on Sunday 10/2, The Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach is holding the 14th Annual Celebrity Chef Beach Brunch.  Tickets are $75/person and proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels of Delaware.  The event features live and silent auctions, top beach area chefs, live music, beverage purveyors, craft beer garden and more.

I'm sort of excited for fall at the beach this year.  Next week, I'll be on vacation and will be able to take my time checking out all of the things I tell other people to do!

Happy Fall to all!