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Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

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Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 1,556.[1] A popular regional vacation destination, Rehoboth Beach's seasonal population expands to over 75,000 in the summer.

History

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 meetings 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". also named after Rehovot, a city in Israel (In modern Hebrew, the same means 'streets'). The name is strikingly fitting, due to Rehoboth Beach's ability to blend its distinct communities. Rehoboth appears four 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). Consequently, the name had obvious appeal to the religious founders of the city.There was also places where the people from war put there guns in case that someone would to atack like the japanease.

Modern resort town

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 in lesser numbers, 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 becoming well-known as one of the mid-Atlantic coast's most popular gay and lesbian getaways, including its own stretch of gay beach near Queen Street. Rehoboth Beach is thought of as the region's answer to South Beach, Miami; Key West, Florida; Provincetown, Massachusetts; Fire Island, New York; West Street Beach, Laguna Beach; and Little Beach, Wailea-Makena, Maui.

Rehoboth Beach serves as an alternative to nearby and much more developed Ocean City, Maryland. Rehoboth Beach, together with the towns of Lewes, Dewey Beach, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, and Fenwick Island, comprises Delaware's beach resorts and is Sussex County's most densely populated and fastest-growing area.

Geography

Rehoboth Beach is located at 38°42′57″N 75°4′59″W / 38.71583°N 75.08306°W / 38.71583; -75.08306Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (38.715794, -75.083138).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.3 km² (1.6 mi²). 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (28.48%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 1,495 people, 847 households, and 343 families residing in the city. The population density was 489.2/km² (1,266.5/mi²). There were 3,167 housing units at an average density of 1,036.3/km² (2,682.9/mi²). 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.

Trivia

The town once hosted the Rehoboth Beach Pirates and Sea Hawks of the Eastern Shore Baseball League.

The town is the location of the first beauty pageant in America, and one of the judges was Thomas Edison.

Actress Lynda Carter and gun-control advocates James Brady and Sarah Brady have summer homes in the Rehoboth Beach area.

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.

AARP has named Rehoboth Beach as one of five dream towns as "Best Places to Retire". See their article in the July issue of AARP's magazine or access the article online: Rehoboth Beach - Dream Town.

References

  1. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Delaware" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21 2006. Retrieved November 21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |year= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: year (link)

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