Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-20
THr HIsroKy, or aEHoBorH.


STOW orowth OF Deiaware's Seaside Town
The Season at Its Height.
Special corroepondenre ut Gazette and Journal
.Rebohcth, Aug. Ia Great changes
not infrequently take place in a few
years in the life anu surroundings of a
place like Rehoboth. Twenty three
years ago Rehoboth was merely part
Of an ordinary farm, with In e1traor
binary acreage of sandy land and
beach remarkable for its evenness and
beauty but which had failed to attract
much attention. The citizens of the
lower part of the State frequently drove
here and admired the long, level stretch
OF beach, which has since come to be
known rs the finest on the Atlantic
coast. These persons probably pre-
dicted its recognition in future years,
but that WAS as far as they cared to
go. In the cunning season Rehoboth
was great place for wild game, and
many wild geese and ducks in taking
the overland route from Rehoboth bay
to the shore few miles above were
brought to earth by the careful aim of
sportsmen. This was previous to 1878
As Rudyard Kipling might say, what
has taken place since that time is alto
gether another story.
In the summer of 1873 three gentle
EIen drove to Rehoboth bay. They
were tho Reys. Robert Todd and William
NJ. Warner of Wilmington M. K. Con
ference, and John II. Dick, conduc-
tor on the Delaware railroad, the termi
nus of which at that time was at
1iewes During the drive the location
and general features OF tho beach at
Rehoboth were discussed and the trio
agreed that it was an excellent place
for summer resort. The more the
subject was talked over the more they
became interested. The result was
that shortly after the trip Mr.. Warner
and others began negotiations for the
purchase of the land along the beach.
Mr.. Todd went TO Wilmington and
after considerable effort interested sew
eral of the business men of that city
in the scheme. Soon thereafter 200
acres of the land were purchased from
l.. ID. Martin for the sum of Sc, 600.
When Mr. Martin sold the property
his residence was the only dwelling in
tho immediate vicinity of the beach.
The 200 acres were not tillable and
when he received ST., 600 for them he
was considered lucky. He had bought
the 900 acres from Peter r. Burton of
Angola, Sussex county, for $500. Soon
building lots were laid out and in May
of the same year iaiiie was held, the
parties whose names were taken from
the box first to have the choice of lots.
Twenty five dollars cash and satisfac-
tory after payments were demanded.
Jethro Mccullough. who won first
choice of lots, chose the lot now owned
by j.. Taylor Cause OF Wilmington and
erected cottage at once. DIR. Jefferies.
Mrs Riley, the Rev. j. Il. Mason and
other Wilihingtonians also erected cot
tages the same year and the place was
given boom that attracted consider
able attention. The company owning
the property erected the Surf House,
a,hotel Of good Dimensions. William
II. Billany of Wilmington managed it.
The hotel was burned in 1878. The
Bright House, which was built in 1875,
was destroyed by fire in 1888
The history of Rehoboth since 1879
has been uneventful A few cottages
have been built each year. The board
of commissioners is not doing for Re-
hoboth what the resort deserves. u
may be owing to a lack of funds or
some other reason, but it is fact that
the board might do more than 1T is
doing. A few more sheds on the beach
would be a great, convenience to the
hundreds Of visitors. The few that
stand there were erected by the cot
tagers. When the ,excursionists come
down, as they do every woek, they
make line for these sheds with their
| lunch baskets. After the excursionists
have gone the cottagers go down and
| throw to one side the chicken bones
and other remnants of the lunch has
lets, after which they sit down and try
| to figure out why the board of commits
| sioners dues not erect few sheds for
I the convenience of the excursionists.
A large hotsl. managed properly,
would be profitable Investment. The
Douglass House has entertained many
people this season and the llenlopen
has been well patronized. With the
new railroad through from Queenstown,
which seems TO be certainty next
season, another hotel will be neces-
sity. Efforts are now being made to
build a hotel soon.
John r. Dick, who was closely iden-
tied with the early life of Rehoboth,
| is a permanent resident ard his cottage
is one of the pretiest here. He an
ticipates great things for Rehoboth
some day. He has seen the place de.
velop since the erection of the first cot
tage and has taken an earnest interest
in the resort The Rev. Henry ID.
Speakman has charge of one of the
churches here, and is maintaining
his past record HIS an earnest and con
scientious worker. lie resides al
Loves at present, driving here TO con.
duct services, but he contemplatesN re
siding here, permanently. Tho season
| il now at its bsipht