A Look Back
No look back at the 20th century in Ocean City would be complete without mention of the two piers the city built at Moorlyn Terrace and the Boardwalk.
On Saturday, April 22, 1905, Mayor Joseph G. Champion led the ceremony opening the new Boardwalk and the dedication of the Music Pavilion.
The new Boardwalk, which was built several hundred feet nearer the sea than the old one, was two miles long and 32 feet wide. The pavilion, which was finished by July 4, 1905, was 118 feet long and 68 feet wide.
The following is from a 1906 publicity brochure: “The public music pavilion will be a center of social activity. It is an institution unique with Ocean City, and much of the resort’s popularity last season was due to this $10,000 improvement, maintained solely for the convenience of the summer residents.
“Daily and nightly musical concerts will be given in the pavilion during the summer, and the many improvements made in the building will at once impress those who have already enjoyed its exceptional advantages.”
In 1928, the Music Pavilion was moved to Sixth Street and the Boardwalk where it became Convention Hall. It was destroyed by fire on March 20, 1965.
History repeated itself on July 4, 1928 when Mayor Joseph G. Champion led the ceremony opening the new Boardwalk and new Music Pier.
The new Boardwalk, built several hundred feet nearer the sea than the old one, had a concrete base from Sixth to Twelfth streets. While the Boardwalk was ready for the summer of 1928, only the front of the Music Pier was finished. On that part, Mayor Champion attached a bronze plaque listing the names of those responsible for the newest pier in America’s greatest family resort.
The Music Pier was completed by the summer of 1929 and with band concerts every afternoon and evening, it was the entertainment center of the resort.
The Music Pier continues to be Ocean City’s most famous and cherished landmark in the 21st century.
