Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City is a resort town located in Worcester County, southeastern Maryland, the United States of America. Ocean City lies along a 16 km barrier beach between Sinepuxent, Assawoman, and Isle of Wight chain of bays and the Atlantic Ocean. Ocean City is 47km east of Salisbury and is the state’s largest seaside resort.
History Of Ocean City
Englishman Thomas Fenwick owned the land Ocean City was built on and also a large area around it. A businessman called Isaac Coffin built the first beach-front cottage to receive paying guests in 1869. The guests arrived by ferry and stagecoach and came to fish off the shore and collect seashells. Soon after, a corporation was formed to help develop the land. Before 1870, what is now Ocean City was known as “The Ladies’ Resort to the Ocean”. In 1875, the first major hotel in the town, The Atlantic Hotel, was opened and offered billiard and dancing rooms to the visitors and hosted them in more than 300 rooms.
By 1878, tourists came by railroad from Berlin to the shores of Sinepuxent Bay across the town. By 1881, a line was completed across the Sinepuxent Bay to the shore bringing tourists directly into the town. It was destroyed during a major hurricane in 1933.
Ocean City witnessed a significant expansion during the post-war boom, and in 1952, it became more accessible to the people in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area after the completion of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. By the 1970s, Ocean City's big business flourished and gave birth to the construction of more than 10,000 condominium units. In 2002, Ocean City undertook the multi-million-dollar beach restoration program in an attempt to slow the westward migration of its beaches.
Ocean City has always been known for fishing and bills itself as the “White Marlin Capital of the World.” Many private boats fish for bluefish, Wahoo, and tuna during the summer. Ocean City holds one of the largest fishing tournaments globally, the White Marlin Open. It is held in early August, and prize money for the largest White Marlin, Blue Marlin, and Tuna can reach over one million dollars.
Population Of Ocean City
In 2019, Ocean City, Maryland, was home to a population of 6,970 people. Around 94% of the people of Ocean City are citizens, and as of 2019, 8.5% of the residents of Ocean City were born outside the United States. The largest ethnic groups in Ocean City are non-Hispanic White (88%), Hispanic White (6%), and Black or African American (0.2%). As of 2019, there were 14.8 times more non-Hispanic white residents in Ocean City than any other race or ethnicity. All the residents of Ocean City speak English at their home as their primary language.
Economy Of Ocean City
The median household income in Ocean City was $54,014 in 2019. In Maryland, females get an average income that is 1.26 times lower than the average income of males. The income inequality in Maryland is 0.461 (measure using the Gini index), which is lower than the national average in the United States. Ocean City employs around half of the residents in different industries such as Accommodation & Food Services, Construction, and Retail Trade.
Tourist Attractions In Ocean City
Ocean City is a famous beach town and visited year-round. It has a three-mile boardwalk that is filled with souvenir shops, arcades, and eateries making it perfect for people who like French fries or funnel cake. The boardwalk has been ranked one of America’s favorites by the Travel Channel. Ocean City has ten miles of family-friendly beaches, two of which are reserved daily specifically for surfing and rotate depending on the waves and weather. Visitors also go to the Northside Park, which is one of the largest parks in Ocean City. It is a 58-acre complex with lighted soccer and baseball fields, a footbridge, and a fishing lagoon.
