Bathers at Oak Orchard in 1915

Delaware’s ocean resorts get most of the attention in the summertime but in many years of the 20th century the beaches and shallow water of Indian River at Oak Orchard attracted lots of visitors for swimming, crabbing and general vacationing. Businesspeople catered to the visitors with rooms and bathing suit rentals, and a boardwalk along the river’s edge gave people a place to meet and greet and enjoy cool breezes coming in from the ocean and Indian River Bay.