Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Encyclopedia
Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County
, Delaware
, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
A popular regional vacation destination, Rehoboth Beach's seasonal population expands to over 25,000 within the city limits and thousands more in the surrounding area in the summer.
ans arrived in the area in the 17th century, the coastline was at its present location and several Native American
tribes lived in the area, including the Lenape
(or Delaware), the Sikkonese, the Assateagues, and the Nanticoke
. Pressure from English
and Dutch
settlers radiating outward from Delaware
forced the Lenape to migrate to upper New York
state, Canada
, and Oklahoma
, while the Sikkonese and Assateagues were extirpated; the Nanticoke, however, still exist in the general area today. The land later came under the control of the Duke of York
, who granted it to various landholders in the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, the descendants of these landholders were farmers attempting to make a living off the relatively poor land.
The city was founded in 1873 as the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association by the Rev. Robert W. Todd, of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church
of Wilmington, Delaware
, as a site for Methodist camp meeting
s in the spirit of similar resorts on the New Jersey
shore, such as Ocean Grove
. The Camp Meeting Association disbanded in 1881, and in 1891, the location was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly
as "Henlopen City", shortly after which it was renamed to Rehoboth Beach.
Rehoboth
is a name of Biblical appellation, meaning "place [or space] for all". Rehoboth appears three times in the Old Testament
as, variously, a well dug by Isaac
(Wadi er-Ruheibeh) (Gen. 26:22), a city on the Euphrates River
(Gen. 36:37; 1 Chr. 1:48), and one of the cities of Asshur (Gen. 10:11). The name had obvious appeal to the religious founders of the city.
The town often bills itself as "The Nation's Summer Capital" due to the fact that it is a frequent summer vacation destination for Washington, D.C.
, residents as well as visitors from Maryland
, Virginia
, and Pennsylvania
. Vacationers are drawn for many reasons, including the town's charm, artistic appeal, and nightlife.
Still famous for its beaches, wooden boardwalk, eclectic shops, amusements, and sporting activities, today's Rehoboth Beach is also known as one of the mid-Atlantic coast's popular gay
and lesbian
getaways because of the large number of gay-owned and operated businesses and because of the gay-frequented stretch of beach near Queen Street, known as Poodle Beach.
Rehoboth Beach serves as an alternative to nearby and much more developed Ocean City, Maryland
. Reader's Digest
named the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk as "Best of America". This celebration of the quirky, amazing and truly extraordinary was featured in the May 2006 issue. Additionally, AARP
has named Rehoboth Beach as one of five dream towns as "Best Places to Retire".
The town has several festivals including the Sea Witch Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, and the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival every year.
Dogfish Head Brewery
's original brewpub is located on the town's main strip Rehoboth Avenue. The location has grown in years as a popular destination for American craft beer enthusiasts.
In 2011, the city passed a smoking ban
covering parks and playgrounds, but sparing the beach and boardwalk.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (28.48%) is water. Rehoboth Beach is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean
, on the north by the development of Henlopen Acres
, and on the west and south by unincorporated portions of Sussex County. Cape Henlopen State Park
lies just to the north of Rehoboth Beach, and Dewey Beach
is just to its south.
Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway) does not enter Rehoboth Beach, instead skirting the town to the south and west, but Delaware Route 1A crosses through Rehoboth Beach in an L shape, running from Coastal Highway along Rehoboth Avenue to 2nd Street, then south along 2nd Street, Bayard Avenue, and Silver Lake Drive to another junction with Coastal Highway in Dewey Beach.
of 2000, there were 1,495 people, 847 households, and 343 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,266.5 people per square mile (489.2/km²). There were 3,167 housing units at an average density of 2,682.9 per square mile (1,036.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.13% White, 0.27% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.54% from other races
, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 847 households out of which 6.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples
living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.4% were non-families. 47.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.71 and the average family size was 2.35.
In the city the population was spread out with 7.0% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 18.5% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 37.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,429, and the median income for a family was $58,558. Males had a median income of $56,250 versus $28,295 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $38,494. About 3.1% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000. It is part of the Seaford, Delaware
Seaford, Delaware
Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,928, an increase of 3.4% from the 2000 census...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
A popular regional vacation destination, Rehoboth Beach's seasonal population expands to over 25,000 within the city limits and thousands more in the surrounding area in the summer.
History
Human beings probably inhabited the area of Rehoboth Beach as long ago as 10,000 BC; little is known about them because much of the evidence of their existence has been destroyed by development. At that time, sea levels were lower, and the Atlantic Coast lay about 30 miles (48.3 km) farther east than it does today. At the time, the area would have resembled inland portions of southern Delaware today. By the time the first EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans arrived in the area in the 17th century, the coastline was at its present location and several Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes lived in the area, including the Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
(or Delaware), the Sikkonese, the Assateagues, and the Nanticoke
Nanticoke Indian Tribe
The Nanticoke people are an indigenous American Algonquian people, whose traditional homelands are in Chesapeake Bay and Delaware. Today they live in the northeast United States, especially Delaware; in Canada; and in Oklahoma.-History:...
. Pressure from English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Dutch
Netherland
Netherland is a critically acclaimed novel by Joseph O'Neill. It concerns the life of a Dutchman living in New York in the wake of the September 11 attacks who takes up cricket and starts playing at the Staten Island Cricket Club.-Plot summary:...
settlers radiating outward from Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
forced the Lenape to migrate to upper New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, while the Sikkonese and Assateagues were extirpated; the Nanticoke, however, still exist in the general area today. The land later came under the control of the Duke of York
Duke of York
The Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch. The title has been created a remarkable eleven times, eight as "Duke of York" and three as the double-barreled "Duke of York and...
, who granted it to various landholders in the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, the descendants of these landholders were farmers attempting to make a living off the relatively poor land.
The city was founded in 1873 as the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association by the Rev. Robert W. Todd, of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
of Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
, as a site for Methodist camp meeting
Camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in Britain and once common in some parts of the United States, wherein people would travel from a large area to a particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant preachers, and pray...
s in the spirit of similar resorts on the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
shore, such as Ocean Grove
Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Ocean Grove is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Neptune Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. It had a population of 3,342 at the 2010 census. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean Jersey Shore, between Asbury Park to the north and Bradley Beach to the south...
. The Camp Meeting Association disbanded in 1881, and in 1891, the location was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
as "Henlopen City", shortly after which it was renamed to Rehoboth Beach.
Rehoboth
Rehoboth (Bible)
Rehoboth is the name of three Biblical places:* A well in Gerar dug by Isaac , supposed to be in Wady er-Ruheibeh, about 20 miles south of Beersheba.* An ancient city from which came Saul, an Edomite king Rehoboth is the name of three Biblical places:* A well in Gerar dug by Isaac (Gen. 26:22),...
is a name of Biblical appellation, meaning "place [or space] for all". Rehoboth appears three times in the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
as, variously, a well dug by Isaac
Isaac
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
(Wadi er-Ruheibeh) (Gen. 26:22), a city on the Euphrates River
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
(Gen. 36:37; 1 Chr. 1:48), and one of the cities of Asshur (Gen. 10:11). The name had obvious appeal to the religious founders of the city.
Modern resort town
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, residents as well as visitors from Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Vacationers are drawn for many reasons, including the town's charm, artistic appeal, and nightlife.
Still famous for its beaches, wooden boardwalk, eclectic shops, amusements, and sporting activities, today's Rehoboth Beach is also known as one of the mid-Atlantic coast's popular gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
getaways because of the large number of gay-owned and operated businesses and because of the gay-frequented stretch of beach near Queen Street, known as Poodle Beach.
Rehoboth Beach serves as an alternative to nearby and much more developed Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City, sometimes known as OC, or OCMD, is an Atlantic Ocean resort town in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Ocean City is widely known in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is a frequent destination for vacationers in that area...
. Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
named the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk as "Best of America". This celebration of the quirky, amazing and truly extraordinary was featured in the May 2006 issue. Additionally, AARP
AARP
AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is the United States-based non-governmental organization and interest group, founded in 1958 by Ethel Percy Andrus, PhD, a retired educator from California, and based in Washington, D.C. According to its mission statement, it is "a...
has named Rehoboth Beach as one of five dream towns as "Best Places to Retire".
The town has several festivals including the Sea Witch Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, and the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival every year.
Dogfish Head Brewery
Dogfish Head Brewery
Dogfish Head Brewery is a brewing company based in Milton, Delaware founded by Sam Calagione. It opened in 1995 and produces 75,000 barrels of beer annually. Dogfish Head has been a rapidly growing brewery - it grew nearly 400% in between 2003 and 2006...
's original brewpub is located on the town's main strip Rehoboth Avenue. The location has grown in years as a popular destination for American craft beer enthusiasts.
In 2011, the city passed a smoking ban
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
covering parks and playgrounds, but sparing the beach and boardwalk.
Geography
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (28.48%) is water. Rehoboth Beach is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, on the north by the development of Henlopen Acres
Henlopen Acres, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 139 people, 69 households, and 42 families residing in the town. The population density was 544.2 people per square mile . There were 198 housing units at an average density of 775.2 per square mile...
, and on the west and south by unincorporated portions of Sussex County. Cape Henlopen State Park
Cape Henlopen State Park
Cape Henlopen State Park is a Delaware state park on on Cape Henlopen in Sussex County, Delaware, in the United States. William Penn made the beaches of Cape Henlopen one of the first public lands established in what has become the United States in 1682 with the declaration that Cape Henlopen...
lies just to the north of Rehoboth Beach, and Dewey Beach
Dewey Beach, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 301 people, 161 households, and 83 families residing in the town. The population density was 876.6 people per square mile . There were 1,369 housing units at an average density of 3,986.9 per square mile...
is just to its south.
Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway) does not enter Rehoboth Beach, instead skirting the town to the south and west, but Delaware Route 1A crosses through Rehoboth Beach in an L shape, running from Coastal Highway along Rehoboth Avenue to 2nd Street, then south along 2nd Street, Bayard Avenue, and Silver Lake Drive to another junction with Coastal Highway in Dewey Beach.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,495 people, 847 households, and 343 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,266.5 people per square mile (489.2/km²). There were 3,167 housing units at an average density of 2,682.9 per square mile (1,036.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.13% White, 0.27% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.54% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.94% of the population.
There were 847 households out of which 6.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.4% were non-families. 47.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.71 and the average family size was 2.35.
In the city the population was spread out with 7.0% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 18.5% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 37.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,429, and the median income for a family was $58,558. Males had a median income of $56,250 versus $28,295 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $38,494. About 3.1% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Further reading
- ADC Sussex County, Delaware Street Map Book, 1st Edition. Alexandria, Virginia: Alexandria Drafting Company, 2005.
- Meehan, James D. From Saints to Sinners...Rehoboth Beach Memoirs. Bethany Beach, Delaware: Harold E. Dukes, Jr., 2000. ISBN 00-090163.