ABOUT THE TOWN OF OCEAN CITY. MARYLAND Ocean City, Maryland, boasts 10-miles of pristine beach and a nearly 3-mile historic Boardwalk, making Maryland's only coastal community a popular destination for visitors in the Mid-Atlantic region. Situated on a barrier island, Ocean City was once a barren seaside village attracting only a few fishermen until the late 1800s. In 1869, Xxxxx Xxxxxx, a local farmer, constructed a small inn to accommodate fishermen and other visitors to the seaside town. By 1875, other hotel properties arose, and the small fishing village was officially incorporated, paving the way for Ocean City to become the famous resort destination it is today. In 1880, the first permanent bridge across the Bay was built, connecting Ocean City to the mainland. Before the bridge, visitors rode the train to the edge of the mainland, where they would then cross the Bay by boat. In 1898, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx moved to Ocean City from Baltimore and started an amusement park, which is owned and operated by the Trimper family to this day. Soon after, Capt. Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx and his son traveled from Cape May, New Jersey, and started the pound fishing industry in Ocean City, which became a source of employment for many local men. While the men fished, the wives were instrumental in running the hotels. From 1900 to 1915, the first Ocean City Boardwalk was constructed and the tourism industry grew. In August 1933, a violent four-day storm hit Ocean City and cut an inlet through the island, linking the Atlantic Ocean with the Bay. The inlet soon brought a new industry to Ocean City - sport fishing. With easy access to the ocean, fishermen no longer had to launch boats through the surf or limit themselves to bay fishing. In 1934 the first xxxxx xxxxxx was caught off the coast and Ocean City claimed the title of “Xxxxx Xxxxxx Capital of the World.” The Town’s growth continued until World War II when the resort, like the rest of the world, focused its energies on the war. Still, it was during this period (1941) that the resort got its first automobile bridge. This once humble fishing village that covered only a few blocks of land now stretches ten miles long. In 1981, the Town adopted a city manager form of government, serving as a full service, year-round resort and an economic powerhouse for the entire region. Ocean City currently welcomes over eight million visitors annually and generates close to $3 billion into the State’s economy. In addition, the Town offers a lively Convention Center, numer...
