Museum to present Henlopen Hotel Memories of the 1960s

The Rehoboth Beach Historical Society will present The Henlopen Hotel: A Special Time, A Special Place, at 4 p.m., Friday, April 8, at the Rehoboth Beach Museum. The program is a visual presentation of stories and images that showcase the memories of John Witmer.

Employed as a “house boy” in the 1960s at the hotel, Witmer combines his experiences with research he has done at the Rehoboth Beach Museum.

Witmer also has written a remembrance of his days at the hotel, including memories of Sammy Ferro’s orchestra and the auctions at Stuart Kingston.

Following is an excerpt from his document:

“The Henlopen Hotel was at the epicenter of an evening ritual with cocktails, dining and dancing to the music of Sammy Ferro’s orchestra. The Hotel was bookended by Jay Stein’s Stuart Kingston Gallery next door on the boardwalk, showing oriental rugs, Chinese porcelains and other collectables. Hotel guests roamed freely back-and-forth between the lively banter of Stuart Kingston’s auctioneers, including Frank Kennedy and Irving Pine, and in the Henlopen’s Pine Room for drinks and dancing.”

The presentation will take attendees back in time to an era when a vacation stay at the Henlopen Hotel was a bit more formal, and Sammy Ferro’s music was part of the fun. Guests will be treated to a musical surprise.

To register for the program, go to rehobothbeachmuseum.org and click on the calendar listing “Henlopen Hotel: A Special Time, A Special Place.” This event is free, but donations are requested. The Rehoboth Beach Museum is located at 511 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, and is handicap accessible. Parking is available adjacent to the museum. For more information, call 302-227-7310.