HISTORY OCEAN VIEW

OCEAN VIEW , SUSSEX, DELAWARE

WIKIPEDIA

Ocean View, at 38 degree, 32' 42” N x 75 degree, 05' 21” W is one mile west of the Atlantic Ocean, one mile south of Indian River Bay,

the Assawomen Canal borders it to the east, northeast, Bethany Beach

borders it to the true east, Northwest by west it's border is Whites Creek, to true west is Millville, ad south by lands of incorporate Sussex County.

Ocean View has a land area of 2 square miles. There are three churches,

a school and a town park. This data was as of the year 2000 when the

census counted 1006 people there.

Ocean View has a mayor, and a four person town council.

The history of Ocean View began in late 17^th century. It was bypassed

by settlers because of a dispute between Lord Baltimore and William Penn

and no one could get a clear title to lands which too were poor, sandy and

salty to boot.

In 1688 seems to be it's origin, as Lord Baltimore gave a 500 acre

tract of land to Matthew Scarborough which he named Middlesex

Plantation where a few other settlers joined him. In the 18^th century salt

crews came occasionally to tend the salt ponds closer to the coast. This

land became the property of a Hazzard family.

Eventually the W. S. Hall family came into possession of the land

and opened a general store in 1800, The village became known as Hall's

Store, so, the Hall's, which opened a post office in his store in 1822, were

considered founders of Ocean View.

Because one could view the ocean from the second floor of Hall's

Store , it was renamed Ocean View in 1889. It remained isolated for

much of the 19^th century, the railroad in 1874 came no closer than Dagsboro and the Assawoman Canal did little to boost access and the economy.

Not until the early 20^th century when the automobile came out did

visitors begin to come to Ocean View.

Abstract: wikipedia.org/w/indes.php?title=Ocean_View._Delaware&

oldid=875725042 or www.ocenviewde.com