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Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
resort town in Worcester County,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
along the
East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...
. The population was 6,844 at the
2020 U.S. census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...
, although during summer weekends the city hosts between 320,000 and 345,000 vacationers, and up to 8 million visitors annually. During the summer, Ocean City becomes the second most populated municipality in Maryland, after
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
. To the north of Ocean City is Fenwick Island, it is part of the Salisbury, MD-DE Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
.


History

The land upon which the city was built, as well as much of the surrounding area, was obtained by Englishman Thomas Fenwick from the Native Americans. In 1869, businessman Isaac Coffin built the first beach-front cottage to receive paying guests. During those days, people arrived by stagecoach and ferry. Soon after, other simple boarding houses were built on the strip of sand, with the activity attracting prominent businessmen from the
Maryland Eastern Shore The Eastern Shore of Maryland is a part of the U.S. state of Maryland that lies mostly on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. Nine counties are normally included in the region. The Eastern Shore is part of the larger Delmarva Peninsula that ...
,
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
,
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
, and Wilmington. They came not so much to visit as to survey the spit. A decision was made to develop it and 250 lots were cut into it, and a corporation was formed to help with the development of the land. The corporation stock of 4,000 shares sold for $25 each. Prior to 1870, what is now Ocean City was known as "The Ladies' Resort to the Ocean". The Atlantic Hotel, the first major hotel in the town, opened July 4, 1875. The Atlantic Hotel was originally owned by the Atlantic Hotel Company, but eventually Charles W. Purnell bought it in 1923. , it is still owned and operated by the Purnell family. Besides the beach and ocean, it offered dancing and billiard rooms to the visitors of its more than 400 rooms, and for years it was the northernmost attraction in Ocean City. By 1878 tourists could come by the Wicomico & Pocomoke Railroad from
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
to the shores of Sinepuxent Bay across from the town. By 1881, a line was completed across Sinepuxent Bay to the shore, bringing rail passengers on the
Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railroad The Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic railroad, nicknamed Black Cinders & Ashes, ran from Claiborne, Maryland (with steamship connections to Baltimore), to Ocean City, Maryland. It operated of center-line track and of sidings.Interstate Com ...
directly into the town to a train station on Philadelphia Avenue and returning to larger city markets with locally caught fish from Ocean City. In 1930 the
Ocean City Beach Patrol The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the worl ...
was formed in order to better protect the bathers that now frequented the shoreline. It was done in collaboration with Mayor William W. McCabe and Coast Guard Captain William Purnell. The first guard was Edward Lee Carey, who watched over the bathers that were out of sight from the original Coast Guard tower on Caroline Street. The Ocean City Inlet was formed during a significant hurricane in 1933, which also destroyed the train tracks across the Sinepuxent Bay. The inlet separated what is now Ocean City from Assateague Island. The Army Corps of Engineers took advantage of nature's intervention and made the inlet at the south end of Ocean City permanent. The inlet eventually helped to establish Ocean City as an important Mid-Atlantic fishing port as it offered easy access to the fishing grounds of the Atlantic Ocean. In the late 1930s, the Army Corps of Engineers dredged a new channel on the bayside of Ocean City to allow larger boats to have access to Sinepuxent Bay. The dredge was pumped back onto the western shore of Ocean City allowing the creation of Chicago Avenue and St. Louis Avenue, leading to new development where previously only marshland had been. Ocean City has become well-known in Maryland due to the rapid expansion that took place during the post-war boom. In 1952, with the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Ocean City became easily accessible to people in the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area. In 1964, with the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, a whole new pathway to the south was opened. This tunnel connects Northhampton County on the Delmarva Peninsula to Southeast Virginia. Ocean City has become one of the largest vacation areas on the East Coast. By the 1970s, big business flourished and gave birth to the construction of more than 15,000 condominium units, creating high-rise condominiums that gave investors a glimpse of the ocean and pounding surf. However, throughout the 1980s, and into the 1990s, the width of the beach began to shrink, prompting the first of a series of beach replenishment projects. A fire during the annual Sunfest destroyed five boardwalk businesses in 1994. There was a small water park and giant walk-through haunted house with live actors near the end of the pier and a New Orleans-style Hollywood in Wax Museum on the boardwalk side. In the late 1980s the wax museum was turned into a Photon laser tag arena. The building now houses the
Ripley's Believe it or Not! ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' fea ...
museum. In 2002, Ocean City undertook the most recent of many, multimillion-dollar,
beach restoration Beach nourishment (also referred to as beach renourishment, beach replenishment, or sand replenishment) describes a process by which sediment, usually sand, lost through longshore drift or erosion is replaced from other sources. A wider beach can ...
programs, in an attempt to slow the westward migration of its beaches. The program pumped tons of sand from offshore and deposited it onto the beach. A dune line was also re-established in front of Ocean City's building line. Another similar project began after the 2006 tourist season closed.


Recent history

Today, the Ocean City area continues to sprawl westward across the bay and toward
Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitu ...
and Ocean Pines. It was part of the Ocean Pines Micropolitan Statistical Area until that was subsumed by the Salisbury Metropolitan Area. The resort area accommodates approximately 8 million visitors per year. The town supports a year-round population of about 7,000, with the town itself being a major employer. In the summer, businesses and government agencies are augmented with about 100 seasonal police officers, plus extra firefighters and other workers. Numerous events take place within the town during the shoulder-season, including Sunfest, Springfest, Bike Week, Cruisin' Weekend, Winterfest of Lights and Reach the Beach, which take place on the Boardwalk and/or in the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. In 2006, the city erected the Ocean City Firefighter's Memorial to honor local firefighters as well as firefighters who died in the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
. In addition to a statue of a firefighter, the monument incorporates a piece of steel beam from one of the towers destroyed at the World Trade Center. Ocean City is home to the annual Maryland State Firefighters Convention. This is a week-long event in June, that honors the state's firefighters with events and contests at the Convention Center, and ends with a parade.


Economy

Ocean City now extends just more than from the southern inlet to the Delaware line. The strip now supports hotels, motels, apartment houses, shopping centers, residential communities, and condominiums. The southern tip houses the Ocean City Boardwalk. The boardwalk is the main shopping district and entertainment area of the town. The Boardwalk has two
amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, as well as other events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central ...
s, Trimpers Rides and The Pier, which was recently renamed Jolly Roger at The Pier, after its sister uptown local amusement park. The downtown neighborhood, Old Town, is marked by Victorian style houses and other older buildings. Ocean City has a long history of fishing, both commercial and recreational. The town bills itself as the "White Marlin Capital of the World." During the summer numerous charter and private boats fish for billfish,
tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...
,
wahoo Wahoo (''Acanthocybium solandri'') is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. It is best known to sports fishermen, as its speed and high-quality flesh makes it a prized and valued game fish. In Hawaii, the wahoo is ...
, and other game fish. In early August, one of the largest fishing tournaments in the world, the White Marlin Open, is held. Prize money for the largest White Marlin,
Blue Marlin ''Makaira'' (Latin via Greek: ''μαχαίρα'' "sword") is a genus of marlin in the family Istiophoridae. It includes the Atlantic blue, and Indo-Pacific blue marlins. In the past, the black marlin was also included in this genus, but today ...
, and
Tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...
can range over 1 million dollars.


Geography

Ocean City is located at . According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Ocean City is on the barrier spit called Fenwick Island, which encompasses Ocean City, as well as South Bethany and Fenwick Island, Delaware. Ocean City's southern point is an inlet formed by the
1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane The 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane was among the most damaging hurricanes in the Mid-Atlantic states in the eastern United States. The sixth storm and third hurricane of the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed in the eas ...
. Rainfall and tides swelled the rivers and bays surrounding Ocean City until the overflowing water cut a 50-foot crevasse from the bay to the ocean. Ocean City businessmen had long sought funding to create an inlet to support a harbor, so residents seized upon the opportunity and built jetties to ensure the city's land remained divided from what is now Assateague Island.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
system, Ocean City, Maryland has a
humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
with long, warm to hot and humid summers, cool winters and year-round precipitation. Ocean City receives 2300 hours of sunshine annually (higher than the USA average). Temperatures are moderated in Ocean City due to its location on the Atlantic coast. During the summer months, a cooling afternoon
sea breeze A sea breeze or onshore breeze is any wind that blows from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass; it develops due to differences in air pressure created by the differing heat capacities of water and dry land. As such, sea breezes a ...
is present on most days with an average of only 10 days annually reaching . However, in 2010 the temperature rose to which was the hottest air temperature on record, and episodes of extreme heat combined with tropical humidity can occur with
heat index The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the shade. The result is al ...
values ≥ . The prominence of the Outer Banks of
North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
to the south means direct hits from
tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
s and
hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dep ...
s are rare, although they sometimes brush the area. The
Atlantic hurricane season The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
extends from June 1 through November 30, sharply peaking from late August through September. During the winter months, Ocean City has cool weather with an average high of 45 F (7.5 C), however periods of mild temperatures in the 50 to 60 F range are common. The air temperature fails to rise above freezing 5.8 days on average and the plant hardiness zone is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . On rare occasion, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with
wind chill Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air. Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...
values under . The coldest temperature on record was . The average seasonal (Dec-Mar) snowfall total is small, with , and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in
nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below), or an East Coast low is a synoptic-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. The original use o ...
activity.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 7,102 people, 3,852 households, and 1,784 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 30,119 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 92.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 2.7%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 2.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 5.9% of the population. There were 3,852 households, of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 53.7% were non-families. 42.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.84 and the average family size was 2.41. The median age in the town was 54.2 years. 9.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.8% were from 25 to 44; 33.8% were from 45 to 64; and 29.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 7,173 people, 3,750 households, and 1,829 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 26,317 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 95.34%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 2.50%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.11% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.35% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population. There were 3,750 households, out of which 11.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.2% were non-families. 39.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.91 and the average family size was 2.47. In the town, the population was spread out, with 11.3% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 25.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $35,772, and the median income for a family was $44,614. Males had a median income of $28,613 versus $27,457 for females. The per capita income for the town was $26,078. About 6.0% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 23.0% of those under the age of 18 and 3.9% ages 65 or older.


Government

Ocean City has a council-manager system of government with a
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
and seven-member
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural coun ...
. The Mayor is elected at-large to two-year terms while the City Council is elected at-large to staggered four-year terms. The City Council elects a Council President who presides over and sets the agenda for City Council meetings. The Mayor represents the town to state and local agencies. Both the Mayor and City Council hire a City Manager who is in charge of all daily operations of the town and serves as its chief financial officer. As of 2017, the Mayor of Ocean City is Rick Meehan and the members of City Council are Council President Lloyd Martin, Council Secretary Mary Knight, Dennis Dare, Tony DeLuca, John Gehrig Jr., Wayne Hartman, and Matt James. Police services in Ocean City are provided by the Ocean City Police Department, which consists of 105 full-time officers and between 100 and 110 seasonal officers. Fire protection in Ocean City is provided by the Ocean City Fire Department, which consists of over 200 volunteer members and over 100 career members.


Mayors

Ocean City's elections are non-partisan.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Ocean City has only a single major north−south thoroughfare, Maryland Route 528, known as the Coastal Highway for most of its length, and as Philadelphia Avenue at its southern end. Coastal Highway continues north into Delaware as
Delaware Route 1 Delaware Route 1 (DE 1) is the longest numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The route runs from the Maryland state line in Fenwick Island, Sussex County, where the road continues south into that state as Maryland ...
. Between S. 1st Street and 33rd Street, Philadelphia Avenue is paralleled by Baltimore Avenue to the east, which is unsigned Maryland Route 378 south of 15th Street. In downtown Ocean City, Baltimore Avenue is one-way northbound and Philadelphia Avenue is one-way southbound. Most east–west streets are numbered, starting at N. Division Street in the south, and continue until 146th Street at the Delaware/Maryland border. Between S. Division Street and N. Division Street are several streets named after counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. South of S. Division Street is S. 1st Street and S. 2nd Street at the Ocean City Inlet. Locations in the city are usually given as Oceanside (east of Coastal Highway) or Bayside (west of Coastal Highway). Three bridges connect the spit to the mainland. U.S. Route 50 (Ocean Gateway) crosses the Harry W. Kelley Memorial Bridge and connects to MD 528 at N. Division Street. Ocean City is the eastern terminus of US 50. The western terminus of US 50 in West Sacramento, California is a mileage sign stating the distance to Ocean City, MD as .
Maryland Route 90 Maryland Route 90 (MD 90) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known as the Ocean City Expressway, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 50 (US 50) near Whaleyville to MD 528 in Ocean City. MD 90 is a two-lane expressway tha ...
(Ocean City Expressway), a two-lane freeway, crosses the Assawoman Bay Bridge and connects to MD 528 at 62nd Street. Delaware Route 54 (Lighthouse Road) can also be used to reach Ocean City, as it meets Coastal Highway just north of the border. The Hugh T. Cropper Inlet Parking Lot is located just north of the Ocean City Inlet adjacent to the beach and boardwalk and offers 1,200 spaces, with paid parking from April to October. The West Ocean City Park and Ride offers free parking, with bus service into Ocean City. There are several smaller paid parking lots and on-street parking enforced by
parking meter A parking meter is a device used to collect money in exchange for the right to park a vehicle in a particular place for a limited amount of time. Parking meters can be used by municipalities as a tool for enforcing their integrated on-street par ...
s in the downtown area along with a few paid parking lots in the northern part of Ocean City. Parking lots and parking meters in Ocean City use a pay-by-plate parking system. Ocean City also has a public transportation system called
Ocean City Transportation Ocean City Transportation is a public transit agency serving the beach town of Ocean City in Worcester County, Maryland in the United States. The agency is a division of the town's Public Works Department. Ocean City Transportation offers bus ser ...
. This agency operates the Coastal Highway Beach Bus, the West Ocean City Park-N-Ride Beach Bus, the Express Beach Bus for special events, and a trackless train shuttle called the Boardwalk Tram. Ocean City Transportation also offers
paratransit Paratransit is the term used in North America, also known by other names such as community transport ( UK) for transportation services that supplement fixed-route mass transit by providing individualized rides without fixed routes or timetables. ...
service. The Coastal Highway Beach Bus, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week year-round, runs the north–south length of the town along Baltimore Avenue and Philadelphia Avenue in the downtown area and Coastal Highway further north between the South Division Street Transit Center near the Ocean City Inlet and 145th Street near the Delaware border, ending at the 144th Street Transit Center. The West Ocean City Park-N-Ride Beach Bus provides seasonal park and ride service in the summer months from the West Ocean City Park and Ride along U.S. Route 50 in West Ocean City to the South Division Street Transit Center, where connections can be made to the Coastal Highway Beach Bus. The Express Beach Bus operates service for special events throughout the summer months, providing service to events from remote parking areas. The Boardwalk Tram operates during the summer months along the entire length of the Ocean City Boardwalk, using a dedicated path south of 5th Street and running along the boardwalk north of 5th Street. Ocean City's transit service connects with
Shore Transit Shore Transit is a public transit agency that provides commuter bus service on the Lower Eastern Shore of the state of Maryland in the United States, serving Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. A major transfer point is located in Salisb ...
, where patrons can travel to or from destinations on the Eastern Shore such as from
Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...
and to Pocomoke City along Route 432 and from Pocomoke City and to Salisbury along Route 452. This connection point is the West Ocean City Park and Ride in the summer and the South Division Street Transit Center in the offseason. Between May and September, DART First State's Beach Bus Route 208 bus connects the Coastal Highway Beach Bus at the 144th Street Transit Center with the Delaware Beaches, running to the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride. Here, connections can be made with other Beach Bus routes, regular DART service, or shuttle service from the
Cape May–Lewes Ferry The Cape May–Lewes Ferry is a ferry system in the United States that traverses a crossing of the Delaware Bay connecting North Cape May, New Jersey with Lewes, Delaware. The ferry constitutes a portion of U.S. Route 9 and is the final crossin ...
to Cape May, New Jersey.
Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...
provides intercity bus service between the
Baltimore Greyhound Terminal The city of Baltimore, Maryland has had a succession of several terminals for interstate bus travel. The main terminal for Greyhound Lines, Greyhound, built in 2016, is located at 2110 Haines Street just off Maryland Route 295, Russell Street south ...
in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...
and the West Ocean City Park and Ride, with service on the portion between Salisbury and Ocean City operated by Shore Transit. BayRunner Shuttle offers shuttle service from the Baltimore-Washington International Airport and the BWI Rail Station to the West Ocean City Park and Ride; this service is an
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, trans ...
route. OurBus provides intercity bus service from Washington, D.C. and
Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...
to Ocean City during the summer months, stopping at 60th Street and Coastal Highway. Ocean City Municipal Airport, located west of downtown Ocean City serves
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
and charter aircraft. Full service FBO available at this airport, as well as FAA and Cessna Pilot Center approved flight school. Nearby Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport provides commercial air service ( American Eagle) for Ocean City. The nearest international airports are Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport and Virginia's Norfolk International Airport, both 135 miles from Ocean City. Into the 1930s, the
Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway The Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic railroad, nicknamed Black Cinders & Ashes, ran from Claiborne, Maryland (with steamship connections to Baltimore), to Ocean City, Maryland. It operated of center-line track and of sidings.Interstate Co ...
ran passenger trains from
Love Point Love Point is the name for the northernmost tip of Kent Island, Maryland, United States and as such, marks the southern point of the mouth of the Chester River. It has served as a major ferry terminal, the western terminus of the Queen Anne's Railr ...
on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, opposite Baltimore, to Salisbury Union Station (where transfers could be made to trains to Wilmington and Philadelphia) to Ocean City; by 1938 service was terminated. Until the late 1940s, the
Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
ran passenger trains from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...
to
Berlin, Maryland Berlin is a town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States which includes its own historical Berlin Commercial District. The population was 4,485 at the 2010 census, and has since grown in population. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland ...
, 10 miles to the west of Ocean City on the former territory of the
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad The Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia Railroad is a defunct American railroad that operated passenger service from Broad Street Station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Franklin City, Virginia. At the latter city, steamship connections could be ma ...
.


Utilities

Delmarva Power Delmarva Power is an energy company that provides electricity and natural gas to customers on portions of the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware and Maryland. The company is a subsidiary of Exelon. Electricity and natural gas Delmarv ...
, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity to Ocean City. Sandpiper Energy, a subsidiary of
Chesapeake Utilities Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is an American corporation formed in 1947. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy company engaged, through our operating divisions and subsidiaries, in various energy and other businesses. Headq ...
, provides natural gas to the town. The Town of Ocean City Municipal Water Department provides water to the town, operating 25 wells, 3 treatment plants, 6 above-ground storage tanks, and an underground storage tank. The Public Works department provides wastewater service to Ocean City, operating the Ocean City Wastewater Treatment Plant. Trash and recycling collection in Ocean City is handled by the Public Works department, with the town's trash transported by
Covanta Energy Covanta Holding Corporation is a private energy-from-waste and industrial waste management services company headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Most of its revenue comes from operating power plants that burn trash as fuel. Covanta charges a ...
to the Energy Resource Recovery Facility in Fairfax, Virginia, a waste-to-energy plant.


Tourism


South Ocean City Boardwalk and Trimper's

The Ocean City Boardwalk currently runs from South 2nd Street at the Ocean City Inlet in South Ocean City (by the Ocean City Life Saving Museum) up to 27th Street in South Ocean City. The boardwalk is home to food, shops, arcades, and amusements. Originally called the "Atlantic Avenue", the first Ocean City boardwalk was constructed in 1902. After being damaged by a storm in 1962, the boardwalk was rebuilt to stretch a total of 2.25 miles, which is still its length today. Many years later the boardwalk would suffer extensive storm damage during
Hurricane Gloria Hurricane Gloria was a powerful hurricane that caused significant damage along the east coast of the United States and in Atlantic Canada during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the first significant tropical cyclone to strike the nor ...
in 1985 which pummeled Ocean City with 89 MPH winds; however, the boardwalk was refurbished and a concrete sea wall was soon constructed following the storm to prevent further damage, and the aftermath of Hurricane Gloria led to the first phase of extensive beach replenishment projects in Ocean City. It wouldn't be until 2012, that the Ocean City Boardwalk was damaged again as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The boardwalk was flooded and half of it was destroyed as a result of the water coming so far onto shore. The boardwalk has since been rebuilt back to its original length and still attracts many tourists and families. As a historical landmark the Ocean City boardwalk has been consistently rated as one of the "best boardwalks for food" in ''USA Today'', and was rated one of the Top Ten Boardwalks to Visit in the US by ''National Geographic''. Also located in South Ocean City is Trimper's Rides amusement park. Trimper's Rides is a historic amusement park that was founded in 1893 as "The Windsor Resort", and is over 100 years old. The Trimper's Carousel (first built in the 1920s), was voted one of the "Best Carousels in America" by ''Travel & Leisure'' in 2012, and is one of the oldest running carousels operating today in the world.


Midtown dining and nightlife

The Midtown section of Ocean City stretches from 28th Street to 90th Street and is home to dining along the bay and nightlife. Located in Midtown are the
Jolly Roger Amusement Park Jolly Roger Amusement Park is an amusement park located in Ocean City, Maryland. The park features two locations in Ocean City: one at the pier on the Ocean City boardwalk and one further uptown at 30th Street. Both locations feature numerous thri ...
and the Roland E. Powell Convention Center. This area also features the Seacrets entertainment complex on 49th Street, one of the highest-grossing bars in the country, know for bringing in hundreds of coconut palms and other tropical plants in the summer.


North Ocean City high-rise condominiums

North Ocean City stretches from 91st Street up to the Delaware border at 146th Street. This section of the city has numerous condos along with movie theaters. North Ocean City is also the location of Northside Park, which has sports fields, gyms, a playground, and a jogging path. With a greater number of tourists visiting Ocean City during the summer months from the Western Shore of Maryland, Washington, D.C.,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, many high rise condominiums were first built in North Ocean City in the 1970s overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The high-rise condominiums are currently located in North Ocean City, starting with the 21-story ''9400'' up on 94th St and continuing to the ''Carousel'' on 118th St.


Shark sightings and wildlife

In Ocean City, there have been several shark sightings. More and more sharks have been spotted close to shore on beaches in Delaware and Ocean City. Some biologists believe that this may be a result of the fishermen who are attempting to catch sand sharks through bait that they have placed in the ocean. Besides sand sharks, there have been sightings of Tiger Sharks as well. On August 1, 2014, a 12.8-foot-long, 1,000-pound tiger shark was spotted in the middle of the Isle of Wight Bay, located in Ocean City. The female shark was nicknamed Septima by scientists, and has traveled over thousands of miles along the East Coast since being tagged in South Carolina. However, though there has been an increase in shark sightings, there have not been any recorded fatalities from shark attacks in Ocean City, Maryland. North Ocean City in recent years has seen more deer sightings and red foxes as well as development has increased on the barrier island as well. On September 15, 2019, a young sperm whale that was underweight washed up and died on the beach of 114th Street.


Historical sites

There are many historic landmarks located in Ocean City, Maryland. Some historical sites include the Sandy Point Site and St. Paul's by-the-sea Protestant Episcopal Church, which are both listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, the anchor from the Sailboat Wreck, the original Atlantic Hotel and the Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum. The anchor from the Sailboat Wreck is located on the Ocean City Boardwalk. The anchor, which is 2 ½ tons, was recovered from the Sailboat Wreck in 1870 by the commercial clam vessel ''Star Light''. It is now located on the boardwalk for people to admire the history of it. The Atlantic Hotel, located at 401 S Baltimore Ave, is another historical site that is also still open for business. After a fire that destroyed the original and first-ever hotel in Ocean City, Maryland, the Atlantic Hotel was rebuilt in 1926 and is one of the oldest and most historic hotels in Ocean City. The Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum is another historical site originally called the Ocean City Life-Saving Station. The station was part of the coastal system and was important for the saving of vessels and lives in distress. It was built in 1891, and after much debate over having it demolished, the station was saved and eventually dedicated as a museum in 1978. The museum attracts people due to the interesting facts and exhibits of ocean life, nature, and life-saving services.


Senior Week

Ocean City is known for its " Senior Week" activities. Recently graduated high school seniors from Maryland and surrounding states travel to Ocean City to spend a week with friends and away from parental supervision. Senior Week traditionally begins the first week after graduation. The Town of Ocean City has a "Play it Safe" campaign with scheduled events to keep the graduates safe. There are also a number of other events that take place during Senior Week which include the OC Car Show, Dew Tour, H2O Under 21 Events, and the Senior Week boardwalk events.


Skatepark and other attractions

First opened in June 1976, Ocean Bowl Skatepark in South Ocean City was the very first skate park to open on the East Coast in the United States, and is the longest-running municipal skatepark in the United States today. Due to time, wear and the current needs of skaters, the original bowl and steel halfpipe ramp were torn down in the Fall of 1997 and the newly constructed skatepark opened in July 1998 on the same site. The park has attracted the National Dew Tour for several years. The city is home to the
Brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for ...
Beach Lax Festival on the second week of June.


Media


Radio

The Town of Ocean City has an emergency advisory radio system broadcast on two FM frequencies. WPSB-LP is broadcast at 99.5 FM from the Public Safety Radio Tower at 65th Street while WWOP-LP is broadcast at 100.3 FM from a tower near Ocean Pines. The system is meant to inform the public of emergency conditions such as severe weather and broadcasts 24-hour community information during non-emergency situations. The studios are located at the Ocean City Public Safety Building on 65th Street. Signs throughout Ocean City advise motorists of the station, with flashing lights advising them to tune in for emergency information. The emergency advisory radio system was launched on August 25, 2014, through a $55,000 grant through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program from the
Maryland Emergency Management Agency Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). is the department of the Maryland state government with primary responsibility and authority for emergency preparedness policy, and for coordinating hazard mitigation, incident response, and di ...
and sponsored by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...
.


Ecology

According to the
A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 1907–1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system in widespread use in the United States. Some of this database has bec ...
U.S.
potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...
types, Ocean City, Maryland would have a dominant vegetation type of Oak/
Hickory Hickory is a common name for trees composing the genus ''Carya'', which includes around 18 species. Five or six species are native to China, Indochina, and India (Assam), as many as twelve are native to the United States, four are found in Mex ...
/
Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family (biology), family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanic ...
(''111'') with a dominant vegetation form of Southern Mixed Forest (''26'').


Notable people

* Charles L. Calhoun, first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard * James N. Mathias Jr., Maryland state senator, and past mayor * Erica Messer, television writer * Michael Sorce, former radio talk show host, better known as Don Geronimo. * Jennifer Hope Wills, an actress who played
Christine Daaé Christine Daaé is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel '' The Phantom of the Opera'' and of the various adaptations of the work. Erik, the Phantom of the Opera and Viscount Raoul de Chagny both fall ...
in '' The Phantom of the Opera'' on Broadway * Carmen Amedori, former journalist, MD state delegate, Parole Commissioner, background actor, author * Spiro Agnew, former Vice President of the United States, maintained a summer home in Ocean City and died there in 1996


Sister cities

Ocean City has three sister cities: * Finale Ligure,
Liguria Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
, Italy * Pärnu,
Pärnu County Pärnu County ( et, Pärnu maakond or ''Pärnumaa''; german: Kreis Pernau) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the south-western part of the country, on the coast of Gulf of Riga, and borders Lääne and Rapla counties to the nor ...
, Estonia *
Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous ci ...
,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
, U.S.


References


External links

*
Ocean City Tourism
{{Authority control Populated places established in 1875 Towns in Maryland Towns in Worcester County, Maryland Seaside resorts in the United States Beaches of Maryland 1875 establishments in Maryland Salisbury metropolitan area Populated coastal places in Maryland