1971 REHOBOTH WANDERING WHEELS VISIT.

WANDERING WHEELS

AT

REHOBOTH BEACH 1971

A small bottle of Pacific Ocean water was dumped into the Atlantic Ocean at Rehoboth Beach, Monday, July 26, 1971 by a member of the Wandering Wheels. The water came by Schwinn Super Sport and took exactly five weeks. This was the fifth visit of the Wandering Wheels to Rehoboth in the past seven years, the riders ranging in age from 15 to 18 years. The ride, 3200 miles, began at Huntington Beach, California.

Wandering Wheels is a Christian program of Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, started as a means to relating rugged physical discipline to spiritual growth .

Bob Diller, teacher in Cocoa Beach, Florida and Ross Shenot, graduate student at Taylor University, were the co-coordinators. The 48 riders are from 26 states.

Everything went well of the trip which began June 21. One bike was lost in an accident but another replacement was furnished, built from spare parts, by the traveling mechanic.

Most of the trip was made on U. S. routes 66 and 50, somewhat off main thoroughfares. The high school riders made 90 mile per day, ate meals from the “supply truck' and slept whereever, in the woods, camp grounds and YMCA's.

The cyclist who carried the Pacific Ocean water was Pat Black of San Francisco.

Source: Wilmington News Journal, 27 July 1971, Sussex Bureau by Ron Williams.

1938 BEACH SQUATTERS

COASTAL BEACH SQUATTERS

REHOBOTH TO OCEAN VIEW

Friday, March 11, 1938, taking a drive down to Rehoboth and from there over to Ocean View on the black macadam Ocean Boulevard , it is surprising to see the building activity on both sides of the road. You notice many out of state automobiles out in the fields and marsh. There is at least one very expensive looking log cabin going up.

At one place there were eight Maryland men erecting a building, a shed type structure. Another place, with five or six men, there was a very pretty log cabin going up.

These men will tell you there is no other prettier spot and the land is free. The beach land is owned by the State of Delaware, and those living there receive a notice once a year to vacate the property, but it is disregarded. They do not pay any tax.

Why should others of us struggle to make tax payments, pay for the unemployed on relief, and these squatters come , tax free. To encourage development of the state lands is a good thing but who can state officials allow that ground to be used free?

Next, these squatters overdo it. They set signs “No Trespass”, “Keep Out” and “Private”. The State Highway Department, the custodian of the vacant lands of the beaches, order these signs removed as well as fences, gates and driveway chains with padlocks. They are let know they cannot prevent the public from using freely the sand roads in the dunes. It will be soon that the Delaware people will retaliate and have the highway department ordering the squatters to remove whatever building the have erected thereon.

Many squatters have endeavored to purchase or lease, and obtain permission to locate small cottages on this land but records show the state cannot give them that authority.

Source: Progressive Delawarean, Wilmington, March 9, 1938. The New Journal. Wilmington, March 11, 1938 & March 10, 1938 . Abstract: Harrison Howeth, June 2017.

Lewes Native Louis McLean Hickman, of California

LOUIS McLEAN HICKMAN

LEWES DELAWARE NATIVE

DIED IN SAUSALITO CALIFORNIA

MAY 17 1910

In Sausalito California , May 7, 1910, Louis M. Hickman, native of Lewes, Delaware,

age 77, husband of Mary Hickman, Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend

funeral services Monday May 8, 1910, at 2 pm, at his late residence.

Louis McLean, “LM”, Hickman was born 23 July 1832 in Lewes, Sussex county, Delaware,

to George and Mary Wolfe Marriner Hickman. Jr. died in 1882 in Califoria. 1834 Louis had a brother, Charles Carroll Hickman, born on the 18^th of October. 1836, a sister, Emmah L, was born 3 October, 31^st Jauuary, 1840 a brother, Napoleon was born. It looks like this brother became a doctor. February 2, 1842 he lost a sister , Sarah, who was born in 1820. In May of 1842 another sister, Albertine was born on 8^th on May in Lewes.

LM Hickman was resident of Lewestown, Sussex county, Delaware in 1950. His father, George, died in 1851, on August 7^th in Missouri City, Fort Bend, Texas.

Louis attended LaFayette college, 1847, in Easton, Pennsylvania, graduated the College of New Jersey in 1852.

Sometime before 1862 Hickman had married Mary Dallas, born 1836, died 1930, close to a hundred years of age.

His first child, a son, Louis McLean, Jr., was born in San Joaquin, Stockton county, California,

and lived to be only 20 year old. A daughter Mary Lavinda , they called her “Macie”, was born about 1865. In the year 1867, his residence was San Joaquin , California. At age 38, 1870, the family had moved to Stockton, and in 1871 another daughter Lyall was born as probably a twin , Lide Hayes Hickman. These girls lived to 1890 and died in California.

The 13 January, 1880, Louis' mother died in Lewes on January 13. 1886, a brother Nathaniel, born 1816, died also in Lewes. 1889 in Lewes his brother, Harbeson Hickman, died. He had owned large land holdings in Sussex county. A sister, Mary Caroline, born 1825, died 1891 in Lewes.

The daughter “Macie” died November 6, 1892, in Oakland, California.

At age 68, 1900, Louis McLean Hickman was a resident of Turlock, California. This year he lost another brother, Handy Peter Hickman, born 1822, who was resident of Pamlico, North Carolina.

In 1909 and 1910 a brother and a sister, Edward and Emma, died in California. Louis was living in Sausalito and died in Stockton, at age 75, the 7^th of May 1910 . Pouis McLean Hickman is buried in Stockton Rural Cemeter, San Joaquin County, California in a mausoleum built by himn, several years age, in which are lain the remains of his four children. The funeral service was held in the Hickman Memorial Presbyterian church of Sausalito, by the Rev. Mr. Fruhling.

50. M. Hickman, was a wholesale and retail dealer in hardware, cutlery, guns, and gun trimmings, stoves, sheet iron, tin, brass and copper ware located on Main Street, between El Dorada and Hunter, Stockton, California.

Source: San Francisco Call, San Francisco, California, Monday May 9, 1910

and www.ancestry.com . Abstract: Harrison Howeth 2017

1913 LEWES BREAKWATER MACKEREL RUN

LEWES DELAWARE

MACKEREL SELLING WELL

A new business has developed at Lewes, Delaware , at the Delaware Breakwater, to overcome the local liquor option. New England fishermen are supplying the 'dry section' with mackerel, stuffed with your brand of liquor in pints and half pints. A slogan along the bay front “ Bay a Mackerel and Get A Big Drink” and the business is netting the fishermen considerable money.

Governor Miller recently approved an act prohibiting shipments of 'booze' to Kent and Sussex Counties but the bibulous Lewes residents came to the front with a plan.

The Yankees on a mackerel boat from New England laid in a large supply of 'booze' before reaching the Breakwater and opened a big number of fish and placed bottles of liquor inside and offered their 'catch' for sale.

The demand for mackerel soon became known and other off shore fishermen learned of the 'plan' and emulated it.

Source: Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, Sunday, June 8, 1913

1960 U. S Triton Off Rehoboth and Henlopen Capes

U.S. TRITON

OFF CAPE HENLOPEN

MAY 1960

May 1960, off the coast of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and the Henlopen Capes, the worlds largest nuclear powered submarine, a 7750 ton monster, the U. S. Triton, triumphantly burst from the Atlantic Ocean.

She had just finished a 83 day, 40,000 mile underwater voyage around the world, along the same course taken 400 years ago by Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer.

President Eisenhower and the Defense Department praised the skipper, Captain Edward L.

Beach and his 176 man crew. Beach, 42 years old, was a WWII submarine hero and Eisenhower's first navel aid.

Beach and his crew surpassed the 60 day underwater record of the Seawolfe set in 1958. The Triton had to broach the water twice, off the coast of Uruguayan to remove an ill petty officer and again off the coast of Cardiz, Spain to honor Magellan.

There was a special White House Ceremony held where President Eisenhower and Defense Department officials bestowed the Legion of Merit on Beach.

U. S. Triton left New London, Connecticut , last February 15^th, with a sealed order for mission to carry out missile launching research for the Polaris. Also being tested was a automatic guidance system. Orders were to dive off Montauk , Long Island. Beache's first emter in his log was” we will come to periscope depth occasionally but not surface until May” . That red letter day, May 10, U. S. Triton , sufaced off Rehoboth Beach at 4:30 am. The

mission of tremendous strategic importance was completed. A Navy helicopter hovered overhead to fly Beach to the White house.

The Triton was driven by two atomic roters, each with a propeller, began circumnavigation off St. Paul Rocks, at the tip of Brazil, 55 miles south of the equator. She then rounded Cape Horn , but lost four days, 2000 miles, by a diversion to relieve the ill petty office. Then headed toward Easter Island, passed 1200 south of Hawaii, and was off Guam March 28^th, bearing for the Phillipines and south toward Indonesia, crossed the Indian Ocean , to the Cape of Good Hope. Rounding Africa

the 17^th of April and was back at St Paul Rocks April 25^th. Her circumnavigation was complete but she remained submerged for the voyage to Cadiz and the back across the Atlantic for the rendezvous

off Rehoboth.

The crew and skipper were pale for lack of sun and many wore beards which caused gales of laughter among happy wives and children upon the return to home base.

Source: Pasadena Independent, California Monday May 16 1960. Opinion Page

1961 BEAUTY PAGEANT AT REHOBOTH

BEAUTY CONTEST COMES TO REHOBOTH

WASHINGTON EVENING STAR, JUNE 4, 1961.

Friday and Saturday, June 9^th and 10^th, Rehoboth Beach will host a pageant to select a Miss Delaware entry for the “1961 Miss Universe Contest”.

The Delaware lass chosen Saturday to represent the First State will win an all expense paid

trip to Miami to compete for the U.S. A. title in preliminaries to the bigger Miss Universe contest.

Miss Shyrl Jones of Wilmington's modeling and charm school has been instrumental in bringing Rehoboth back into the beauty pageant picture. She had a meeting with Mayor Clarence Lynch and Chamber of Commerce President Harry Zerby the past spring and pointed out the Rehoboth Beach is the only logical place to hold a beauty contest in Delaware. Being the gentlemen they are, both naturally agreed.

Young ladies between the age of 18 and 28, never married, are eligible for the Delaware preliminaries. Beauty, poise and personality are the chief qualifications as there are no talent

contest involved.

The finals will be held on the Boardwalk at the east end of Rehoboth Avenue.

FIRST CONWELL FAMILY 1699

YEATES CONWELL ARRIVED IN AMERICA

APRIL 15 1699

April 15, 1699, the first members of the Conwell family, Yeates and Rebecca Fisher, arrived in America, sailing into the Delaware Bay and anchoring their vessel at Reedy Island.

They settled in Broadkiln Neck and in 1705 acquired one thousand acres from Rebecca's father, William Fisher.

Yeates and Rebecca had four children , William, John, Elias and Hannah who all married.

William died young leaving two children. John was married twice, leaving three children from each wife. John is an ancestor of the late Joseph Conwell of Drawbridge, Jane Robins, late of Broadkiln Neck, and the late William A, Conwell , father of David M. Conwell and Mrs D. A. Wiltbak of Milton.

The third son, Elias, is the ancestor of Mr. John T. Conwell of Broadkiln Neck and Mr. Asa Conwell of this Milton.

Hannah, the only daughter, married Abraham Gum.

About two hundred descendents of Yeates and Rebecca can now be traced, many who live in Delaware, but the majority live in other states, several out west.

Considerable portions of what is now North Milton, at one time belonged to the Conwell family. The frist mill of Milton was built by a Conwell with business partner by name of Coulter.

The Milton property named above was owned by DR. John Spencer, his daughter , Unice, becoming the wife of George Conwell a brother of Asa F. Conwell's grandfather, born May 1^st, 1747.

Records are scarce telling frm what part of England or Ireland the Conwells came. A mention of William, Yeates grandfather, gives a birth date of 1615 at Essex, England.

It is probable that the family originally came from Sweden and were connected with the Swedes who first settled Delaware.

The Conwell name is rather rare in the United States but wherever found represents integrity,

industry, character and good citizenship.

Source: Milton Times, April 15, 1809, Milton, Sussex County, Delaware. / mediasve.ancestry.com

Abstract Harrison 2017

LIEUTENANT ALEXANDER D' HINOYOSSA DELAWARE

LIEUTENANT ALEXANDER d' HINOYOSSA

ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MEN OF COLONIAL DELAWARE

d' Hinoyossa was perhaps the most influential man in colonial Delaware history, most known for surrendering the Dutch colony along Delaware River to the Crown of Britain many years ago.

Tradition suggest he traveled with Jacob Alrichs from Brazil to Holland to work in Ansterdam,

thence, to Niever Amstel, (New Castle, Delaware) , when Alrichs was governor of New Amstel. At that time it was difficult for the colony as hunger was widespread and an invasion from Maryland seemed inevitable.

When Alrichs died in 1659, d'Hinoyossa became the colony's leader . He was 'dubbed' the

“Little Prince” by his subordinates because of his arrogant manners. Accounts were known where d'Hinoyossa abused his subjects, sold company supply's for his personal gain and traded company guns to the local Indians. One account has him using parts of the wooden fence at Fort Casimir to fire his beer brewing kettle. Apparently, profit was more important to him than defense.

However, these abuses did not overshadow his accomplishments. Through diplomacy

d' Hinoyossa set up trade relations with the Lord Calvert administration of Maryland . With

Delawares Augustine Heermann, he started “Smugglers Path” from Chesapeake Bays New Bohemia

(now Bohemia Manor, Maryland) to Appoquinimink (now Odessa, Delaware) . In order to avoid

tax and ensure safe transport, Marylander's passed tobacco to the Dutch in return for slaves and strong beer. D' Hinoyossa envisioned Odessa would become a trade center for the colony’s and patented land at the confluence of the Appoquinimink and Drawyers creeks, which were diked and drained by his servants for use as agricultural lands.

After the English captured New Amsterdam in 1664, Sir Robert Carr and a force of 130 English soldiers with two ships were dispatched to capture the Dutch possessions on the Delaware River which most of the colony settlements gave up immediately, the garrison at Fort Casimir delayed in an attempt to negotiate more favorable terms. Although d' Hinoyossa served a small feast to the

British officers, his negotiating ploy failed. The ships opened fire, damaging structures in the fort, the British troops stormed the rear walls, taking the stronghold quickly. The English left the townspeople alone, granting them rights as British subjects.

After this surrender, d' Hinoyossa left New Amstel and settled with his wife and seven children

in Talbot county, Maryland. Later, he returned to the Netherlands Dutch Republic, was commissioned in the army. When the Sun King and his French Army invaded the Netherlands in 1672, d' Hinoyossa was charged with the defense of the city of Wesel, which he quickly surrendered . He was subsequently tried for treason, mutiny and cowardice and beheaded.

Abstact of blog of Craig Lukezic, Delaware Historical Cultural Affairs.

RED STAR BUS

RED STAR BUS LINE

A PIONEER

Red Star bus line was organized Delmarva by local business men of Delaware and Maryland.

In the early 1930's, when highway buses were replacing the transportation need of the railroad and steamships.

Most roads were single lane in those days and it was a winding trip to most cities and the ocean resorts. The first buses looked more like enlongated automobiles than do today's monsters.

World War Two caused more travel and helped Red Star to become valuable property. The after the war increased production of the automobile , bus travel became burdened just like the railroads and steamships.

In time Red Star merged with Carolina Trailways which allow bus travel it to live another decade or so, but as we all know, the family car took over the roads to the ocean resorts of Delmarva.

The last full time, repeat full time, bus depot in Rehoboth, appears to have been Snyder's Soda & Ice Cream, newspaper store, on Rehoboth Avenue.

Abstract: Salisbury Daily Times, July 4, 1976, Harrison 2017.

COOLSPRING CREEK COMMUNITY BUILDING.

COOLSPRING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

COOLSPRING COMMUNITY BUILDING

1 AUGUST 1929 DEDICATION

The dedication of the Coolspring Community Building, a gift of Dr. David M. Hitch of Philadelphia to the Coolspring Presbyterian Church, took place the afternoon of August 1, 1928 at Coolspring on the Georgetown to Rehoboth highway.

The Rev. Thomas Parker McKee, pastor of Georgetown First Presbyterian Church, also the pastor at Coolspring Presbyterian Church, presided at the dedication ceremonies. Dr. Hitch , doner, handed over the key to to the church officials, saying “ we can heartily thank Mr. Robinson, the builder, for erecting the building in a conscientious manner, co-operation with his personal interest with us pertaining to it erection. Therefore it is with great pleasure I present this key to you , confident that my trust is well placed”.

Te community building is less that a mile from the church on grounds formerly known as “Sunken Gardens”, is a modern structure 75 feel by 34 feet. The main floor will serve as an

auditorium seating at least 500 people. It will have a stage and rest rooms. The basement is to have a

roomy and convenient kitchen and dinning room, dressing room and a sitting room.

Other speakers were Congressman Robert C. Houston, and, James Tunnell, both of Georgetown and elders of the Georgetown First Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Edward Sudler of Georgetown , Miss Margaret Baylis of Lewes, and others gave musical solos. The Presbyterian Church Ladies Aid Society served a chicken dinner to people present from all sections of lower Delaware.

Source: Wilmington News Journal , Thursday, August 1, 1929. Abstract 6/14/2017, Harrison

REHOBOTH NEW CONVENTION HALL 1965

REHOBOTH'S NEW CONVENTION HALL

Sunday, April 18, 1965, dedication plans are under way for the $250,000 Municipal building and Convention Hall with its first event scheduled for next Saturday.

Mayor Joel C. Stamper has announced that dedicatory ceremonies will be held May 28, eve of the Memorial Day weekend, traditional season opener for this resort.

Stamper has named Commissioner Joseph J. Crowley chairman of the committee and others to serve with him, Commissioners Frank Parker, Jesse Gundry, Eugene Russell and Richard Hackett, Paul Curtis Stokes and convention director Miles Frederick.

The first event in the new convention hall will be a cabaret dance sponsored by the Lord Baltimore Dance Club.

Stamper has said the city is pleased with the response for use of the new facility and that the following events are already scheduled; May 23, Selbyville Cotillion club, May 27, Peninsula Conference Christian Services, W omen’s Society of the Methodist Church, June 4^th to June 6, VFW Annual Convention, June 11^th state convention of WWI veterans, July 19, Beebe auxiliary dance, July 16 to July 18^th, an antique show, August 7, annual Blue Carriage Ball.

Source: Washington Evening Star, Washington, D.C. April 18, 1965

1927 Broadkill River Improvements

BROADKILL RIVER IMPROVEMENTS

1927

Major R. P. Howell, in charge of the Wilmington district U. S. Engineers, has issued questionnaires, concerning improvements to Broadkill River from Milton to the Delaware Bay.

The Congressional River and Harbor Act of January 21, 1927, calls for examination of the

river and improvement if they are found advisable.

Major Howell made a trip, Wednesday , October 5^th, accompanied by assistant engineers

R. G. Davis and M. G. Moore, aboard the government ship “Josephine”, on the river from Milton to Delaware Bay.

A Federal Law, authorizes the War Department, to provide a channel six feet deep, at mean low water, from the bay to Milton.

The questionnaires ask for the type of business, the type of goods received and shipped by it, the amount in tons and yearly value, by the river, then the extent of improvement desired.

The Broadkill River in Sussex county, rises and flows northeast 13 miles emptying into the

Delaware Bay, five miles above Cape Henlopen . At the mouth it is 300 feet wide at high water

and 90 feet in Milton. During low water it is 250 feet at the mouth and 80 at Milton. The channel

is obstructed by shoals and at the mouth is a shifting sand bar

According to a Government Report the Broadkill River does not meet the demands of commerce.

The proposed project, which will be followed out if the government can be shown improvements are necessary, is to establish a permanent entrance to the river by dredging a

channel across Lewes Cape, 150 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water.

In 1926 the shipments of oysters and fruit, from Milton, had a value of $106, 000.

Source: Abstract by Harrison Howeth, 2017, Wilmington News Journal , Thursday, October 6, 1927.

HURCULES ON THE GREAT MARSH

HERCULES

TAKES OPTION OF TRACT OF LAND

FROM ROOSEVELT INLET TO BROADKILL RIVER

Lewes, September 15, 1958, Hercules Powder Company, disclosed it has on an option to

purchase about 1800 acres on the Delaware Bay a mile north of town. The boundary covered by the option extends from Roosevelt Inlet area along both sides f Canary Creek to the Broadkill.

This tract includes lands owned by the Ritter family and the Brittingham family and Lewes Town Commissioners. The option in case for the Lewes property would be for long term lease, while the Ritter and Brittingham lands would be an out right purchase.

J. H. Tyler McConnell, secretary of the Hercules Powder Company, announced the company has no immediate plans to construct a plant on this property, just a desire to be prepared with an

available site for future expansion in this area. The site is readily accessible to ocean transport, rail

and highways and even if it is largely marshland it can be reclaimed for industrial use.

Hurcules officials have said they will be good neighbors in every sense of the word, just as it has proved to be in over twenty two other locations in the United States where it has plants. The Lewes residents, as well as those in other communities, the farmers, sport and commercial fishermen,

wildlife, should not be concerned. Hercules has established leadership in the chemical industry for safety and employ relationship and community co-operation.

The owners of the properties involved, all Lewes residents, are: Grace Brittingham, Edward Winfield Bittingham, Jane Dean Brittingham, William Ritter and Lewes Town commissioners.

Abstract, from Wilmington New Journal , Wilmington, Delaware, Thursday September 18, 1958.

Harrison Howeth, 2017

1877 TWO REHOBOTHS

THE TWO REHOBOTH'S 1877

REHOBOTH CITY & REHOBOTH BEACH

It is often heard that Rehoboth is five years old which is not exactly true, for even before the Methodist Camp Meeting Association took over, it had history and a hotel. There are some old Lewes newspapers that tell of the sturdy Dutch settlers of away back, visited the ocean beach during the hot summers. It is also a fact that the Dutch made salt by evaporating sea water near where the Surf House now stands.

So in comes Captain Lewis Tredenick, a patriarch and some call the founder, with the modern history, and he still lives here. He is hale, hardy, large limbed and fine looking old gentleman, over 70 years of age, and until this season, the kept the Rehoboth City Hotel, the first building built on the beach. Tredenick came here from Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, years before the Methodist, and bought the shanty of Captain Burton near the Rehoboth Bay, which was built in 1832, sort of a temporary type construction. Here he built what was known as “Tredenicks” and waited for Rehoboth to be.

Before settling at Rehoboth Lewis Tredenick was in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. a prosperous hat manufacturer and merchant, but somehow through speculation and endorsing saw his fortune swept away. Lack of fortune prevented him from taking advantage of opportunities and now larger and more imposing structures shade the rude but scrupulously clean and well kept hotel.

He then gained the title of “ Captain” by operating the first steamboat running from Lewes to Philadelphia, the “Cohansey”.

In 1875 Lewis Tredenick was an active lobbyist at dover for the State Aid Bill which was before the Legislature and no member of the body will soon forget his pleasant, jolly, and always good nature, nor will anyone who was present at the Capitol Hotel in Dover the evening previous adjournment of Legislature, fail to recall “Shoo Fly” which the old man sang to the disgust of a now distinguished judicial officer, then the council for the P. W. & B railroad , also friend and patron of Tredenick. The concluding stanza “ Shoo fly, don;t bother me, for I belong to P.W.&B”, brought down the house and retired the lawyer precipitately from the room.

It is not clear when the Rehoboth City Company was organized but it controled a great deal of

the land at Rehoboth City, and the Judge Comegys and Manlove Hayes were members. The “Company” had never accomplished any thing, and it not until 1873 when the Rev. R. W. Todd of Wilmington's St. Pauls Church that Rehoboth got a permanent start as a resort or 'watering place' .

The Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association was the next to advance to the beach out of a desire to have a Christian seaside resort for the peninsula and adjoining cities. In 1872 the Rev. W. M. Warner of the Lewes Methodist Episcopal Church was requested to survey along the ocean front, south of the Capes of Henlopen, to select a site. His was done and the site, between the Gorden Pond salt flats and the Rehoboth Bay was it. A committee of ten , on the 10^th of October , 1872. purchased the property of S. Dow Martin and John Marsh.

Growth has been slow, notwithstanding, an indifferent management, want of decent transportation, a short sighted policy,( a piano was tabooed at the Surf house), the place has grown and prospered. At first the camp meeting was the leading feature, but now cut off from the association, unprofitable, and a mere tender upon Rehoboth Beach. The seaside resort was to become a health spot with fresh water bays, a dry atmosphere, solid ground to the waters edge and sand bluffs, three to twenty five feet high. 1877 Rehoboth , the Douglas House, and other improvements at the city,

became a summer settlement of perhaps a thousand persons. The Surf House, Bright and Douglas, the hotels, find it difficult accommodating all the visitors. The Bright is leased to S. D. Whitney , well known owner of several hotels of New york city, The Surf house is in the hands of W. H. Billany and Colonel Fountain runs the Douglas House.

Next, there came the news of the railroad. It was heard all over the resort “When we get the new railroad, we shall not only compete with, but, will beat Cape May”. The P.W.&B. had said, when completed , you will travel to Philadelphia in three hours and to Baltimore in five.

Source: Wilmington News Journal, Monday, July 30, 1877.

Correspondence of Wilmington Every Evening & Commercial.

Abstract: 2017 Harrison Howeth for Rehoboth Beach Museum.

REHOBOTH CITY HOTEL LEWIS TREDENICK

LEWIS TREDENICK

1815 – 1889

SEA CAPTAIN & 70 YEAR OLD CHARACTER

1889 PROPRIETOR

REHOBOTH CITY HOTEL

Visitors to Rehoboth City in the 1880's were likely to ask if anyone has seen Captain Tredenick today. His habitation, said to be the oldest at Rehoboth, is a quarter mile or so, north of

The Douglas House and early days had seen the likes of former Presidents, members of the Cabinet, and others of high official positions.

Of late however, the erection of more modern and more commodious structures in the neighborhood has diverted most of this patronage to other quarters. The Captains abode still has a fair share of the seaside visitors.

Captain Tredenick, the character, he is now 70 years of age, but seems to be still in possission of all the vivacity of young manhood. His frail figure belies the fact that he, as a man of the day, was the very embodiment of heros. His courage is of a kind that is rare and noble. Twenty some year ago, Lancaster county Pennsylvania was visited by an epidemic of cholera, doing away with two hundred and thirty citizens, and three quarters population fled. Tredenick stayed, rendered assistance, found food, medications, dug graves, etc. This earned him a title of “Old Mortality”.

Tredenrick's Water Cure, another fame befallen Rehoboth, caused Captain to become Doctor, as he found the art of administering the pre-eminrntly medicinal waters of Rehoboth in doses to perfection. Rehoboth now a reformatory institution of success due to his wise and humane policy.

Lewis Tredenick was born 1815 in Marietta, Lancaster county Pennsylvania, his first business venture was a hat manufacturer in Mount joy Pennsylvania, Port Elizabeth and Millville, New Jersey.

Later he was captain of the steamer “Cohansey” which ran between Lewes and Philadelphia. He first visited Rehoboth grounds in 1857 and was taken with the beauty of the beach and surrounding pines that he made his mind up to have a future home there. April 1872, he pitched a tent on the spot where his Rehoboth City Hotel now stands.

Lewis Trednenick married a Delaware born girl, Sarah Ann Buckmaster, his age, in Philadelphia on the 9^th of January, 1839. They has a son John, born in Delaware 1842, a daughter,

Annie Herr , born New Jersey 1845, a son William born Pennsylvania 1849 and another daughter, Sarah Emma, born Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 20 July , 1852. Lewis died 26 April 1889 at Lewes, Delaware.

1884 REHOBOTH OF READING TIMES.

WHAT IT IS LIKE IN 1884

AT

REHOBOTH BEACH & LEWES

BY TCZ OF

THE READING TIMES

The Attractions of this New Seaside Resort - Finest Beach on the Coast

Fishing and Gunning - The Peach Crop - Reading Visitors – And More.

A week at Rehoboth Beach on the Delaware shore, opposite Cape May, has convinced this writer that for bathing purposes , which combines absolute safety, a gently sloping beach, mild surf,

there is no other seaside resort of such superior attractions within our immediate reach.

Although, thousands go into the surf at this point, the claim that no one has been drowned, remains uncontested.

The bathing beaches are directly in the front of the hotels, at Douglas House, where the writer is staying, the surf is but 30 yards distant. This is a convenience not to be forgotten. The beach is as good as that of Cape May, much finer that that of Atlantic City, and that of Scarborough on the Maine coast. It is by far free of the treacherous surf had at Long Branch.

Rehoboth is the seaside possessions of a half dozen or so prominent Pennsylvanians, one being the Hon. F. W. Hughes, distinguished lawyer of Pottsville.

The value of the property, a less that 300 acre farm, whose worth was set at $8000, brought the Martin family, $45,000. It is unfortunate that property which abates this beach will be disposed of at unreasonable high figures. Hear say is that as single acre has been asked for at $10,000 and some owners have priced lots for $1000. Such will no doubt slow the improvement of the beach location.

The attractiveness, briefly summed up are; a safe and easy accessible beach, a surf which is finer that any other along the coast, a large bay for sailing and fishing close by, good drinking water, excellent society and great hotels.

The Douglas House, frequented by distinguished families of Delaware and citizens of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., appears to be the favorite stopping place. Well known, prosperous, names can be found on the hotels ledgers, a very long list to say the least. The Reading guests list swelled during the writers visit, and will increase as the people of Reading know as good thing when they see it.

Sitting on the front porch of the Douglas House one has the unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean, the lights of Cape Henlopen and Cape May, at Lewes, the Delaware Breakwater, harboring large sea going vessels. Nearly every room of the Douglas House afford the same view.

Close to Rehoboth is Lewes, about five miles away, north, an ancient and historic town, Milford, the southern terminus of the Wilmington & Northern Railroad, and peach orchards which supply the cities to the north and west.

Reading Times. Reading, PA., Wednesday September 10, 1884.