A Look Back at Ocean City
By Fred Miller
1880—First public sale of lots
1880—First hotel—The Brighton
1881—First postmaster—William H. Burrell
1881—First doctor—Gilbert E. Palen
1882—First school—built on Central Avenue
1883—First bridge to mainland opens
1884—First county freeholder from Ocean City—William Lake
1902—First free mail delivery
1905—First Music Pavilion opens
1912—First Boardwalk hotel—The Breakers
1914—First public library building
1915—First City Hall opens
1921—First female member of the Board of Education—Eleanor Fogg
1921—First Ocean City contestant in the Miss America Pageant—Hazel Harris
1922—First Female doctor—Marcia Van Gilder Smith
1933—First Chevrolet dealer—Emil and Mary Palmer
1949—First summer male bathers could go topless on the beach
1949—First parking meters installed—217 of them
1955—First state championship by the OCHS basketball team
1958—First motel—Seaspray Motel, 34th Street and Bay Avenue
1964—First historical museum opens in the Wesley Avenue School
1972—First female City Commissioner—Marilyn K. Moore
1976—First beach tag sold, $3 preseason; total collected $761,240
1978—First female elected to City Council—Jeanne M.
Clunn
1992—First First Night
