Editing Rehoboth Beach, Delaware (section)

==History==
[[File:Rehoboth Beach historical marker.jpg|thumb|[[Commemorative plaque|Historical marker]] of Rehoboth Beach's history, located in Rehoboth Beach]]
[[File:Air view of Rehoboth Beach and boardwalk from the south, Rehoboth Beach, Del (63081).jpg|thumb|Rehoboth Beach in the 1930s]]

===Colonial era===
{{Further|Delaware Colony}}
By the time the first Europeans arrived in the area in the 17th century, the coastline was at its present location and several Native American Indian tribes lived in the area, including the [[Lenape]], the Sikkonese, the [[Assateague people|Assateague]]s, and the [[Nanticoke people|Nanticoke]]. The site was the location of what may have been the most important Native American fishing village on the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Middle Atlantic coast]], including at [[Wilgus Site]], a prehistoric shell midden archeological location, which is now inundated.<ref>Jordan, Francis, Jr. 1906. ''Aboriginal Fishing Stations on the Coast of the Middle Atlantic States''. Lancaster, Penn. Press of the New Era Printing Company, p. 25</ref>

Pressure from [[Kingdom of England|English]] and [[Dutch Republic|Dutch]] settlers radiating outward from [[Cape Henlopen]] near [[Lewes, Delaware]] at the entrance to [[Delaware Bay]] forced the Lenape to migrate to upper [[New York (state)|New York]] state, eastern [[Canada]], and eventually to the west in [[Indian Territory]] (later formed [[Oklahoma]], [[Kansas]], parts of [[Arkansas]]) while the Sikkonese and Assateagues were [[Local extinction|extirpated]]; the Nanticoke, however, still exist in the general area today.

The land later came under the control of the [[Duke of York]], younger brother of King [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] who also seized and occupied in 1664 the Dutch colony further north at the mouth of the [[Hudson River]] on [[Manhattan|Manhattan Island]] and adjacent [[Long Island]] as [[New Netherland]] with [[Fort Amsterdam]] and the village of [[New Amsterdam]] followed by the previous [[Sweden|Swedish]] colony on the upper [[Delaware River]] at [[Fort Christina]] and [[New Sweden]], which the Dutch attacked and occupied several years earlier. These later became part of the English and later [[British America]] colonies/provinces of [[Province of New York|New York state]] and [[History of New York City|New York town]] along with renamed [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] and [[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]] along the Delaware River as part of the colonial [[Province of Pennsylvania]] and later in the future state of [[History of Delaware|Delaware]]. Later, the Duke granted holdings to various landholders who endured into the 18th century, and ultimately ascended to the English throne as King [[James II of England]] and also James VII of Scotland.

''[[Rehoboth (Bible)|Rehoboth]]'' ({{langx|he|רְחוֹבוֹת}}) means "broad spaces." It appears three times in the [[Old Testament]] as a place name&nbsp;— a well dug by [[Isaac]] (at modern Wadi er-Ruheibeh) (Genesis 26:22), a city on the [[Euphrates|Euphrates River]] (Genesis 36:37; I Chronicles 1:48), and one of the cities of [[Assur|Asshur]] (Genesis 10:11) in [[Mesopotamia]] (modern [[Iraq]]). Hence the name may have had a special appeal for the religious founders of the city, although the [[Rehoboth Bay|adjacent bay]] had already borne the name Rehoboth for at least a century before the town was founded.<ref>Leiste, Christian (1778). ''Beschreibung des Brittischen Amerika zur Ersparung der englischen Karten'', p. 312; retrieved through Google Books</ref>

===19th century===
By the mid-19th century, the descendants of these landholders were farmers attempting to make a living off the relatively poor sandy infertile land.<ref>Meehan, p. 19</ref> The town 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 Episcopal Church]] [[camp meeting]]s in the spirit of similar resorts further north on the [[New Jersey]] shore, such as [[Ocean Grove, New Jersey|Ocean Grove]]. The Camp Meeting Association disbanded in 1881, and in 1891, the location was incorporated by the [[Delaware General Assembly|General Assembly of Delaware]] ([[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]]) as "Cape Henlopen City". In 1893, it was renamed to Rehoboth Beach.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.delaware.gov/markers/sc/SC-90.shtml|title=State of Delaware – Delaware Public Archives – Sussex County Markers|website=archives.delaware.gov}}</ref>

The first boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach was constructed in 1873 and has seen changes in configuration from weather and storms over the years.<ref name=aboutrehoboth/> The Junction and Breakwater Railroad constructed a line from [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] south to Rehoboth Beach in 1878, running down the center of today's Rehoboth Avenue. The arrival of the railroad allowed visitors to come in from northern Delaware and [[Pennsylvania]] and its cities and towns, leading to the beginning of Rehoboth Beach as a tourist destination.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.capegazette.com/affiliate-post/rehoboth-beach-history-riding-iron-horse-nations-summer-capital/122164|title=Rehoboth Beach History – Riding an "Iron Horse" to the Nation's Summer Capital|author=The Oldfather Group|date=December 14, 2016|newspaper=Cape Gazette|access-date=February 7, 2018}}</ref> After the railroad came to Rehoboth Beach, the center of camp meetings and city life moved to nearby Baltimore Avenue. The original Henlopen Hotel opened in 1879, being replaced with another hotel of the same name on the current site.

=== 20th century ===
[[File:BidenRehobothHome.jpg|thumb|The beach house of U.S. President [[Joe Biden]] and First Lady [[Jill Biden]] in the [[North Shores, Delaware|North Shores]] neighborhood outside the corporate limits of Rehoboth Beach, which serves as their [[List of residences of presidents of the United States#Summer White House|Summer White House]].]]
[[File:RainbowcrossingRehoboth.png|thumb|A [[rainbow crossing]] in Rehoboth Beach, meant to celebrate the [[LGBT]] community.]]
[[File: Rehoboth Beach boardwalk at Delaware Avenue looking north.jpeg|thumb|Rehoboth Beach boardwalk looking north at Delaware Avenue]]
[[File:Rehoboth Beach looking north at Delaware Avenue August 2021.jpeg|thumb|Rehoboth Beach looking north at Delaware Avenue]]

A paved highway was built by the state between [[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]] and Rehoboth Beach in 1925, which helped bring in travelers from the west in the metropolitan areas of [[Washington, D.C.]]; [[Baltimore]]; other parts of [[Maryland]]; and [[Northern Virginia]].<ref name=aboutrehoboth>{{cite web|title=About Rehoboth Beach|publisher=City of Rehoboth Beach|url=https://www.cityofrehoboth.com/visitors/about-rehoboth-beach|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref>

From 1942 to 1943, Rehoboth Beach Airport served as a base, designated as Coastal Patrol Base 2, for volunteers with the [[Civil Air Patrol]], who flew aerial patrols using civilian aircraft in support of Army and Navy anti-submarine operations during the [[Battle of the Atlantic]]. Two CAP airmen, Captain Hugh R. Sharp of [[Greenville, Delaware]] and First Lieutenant Edmond Edwards of [[Newark, Delaware]], would go on to be the first civilians to receive the [[Air Medal]] after a search and rescue mission on July 21, 1942, where they rescued one crewmember of another CAP aircraft which crashed at sea.<ref>{{Cite book| last=Blazich | first=Frank A. Jr. | year=2020 | title="An honorable place in American air power": Civil Air Patrol coastal patrol operations, 1942-1943  | publisher=[[Air University Press]] | pages=109–112 | isbn= 9781585663057 | url=https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/AUPress/Books/B_0168_BLAZICH_AN_HONORABLE_PLACE_IN_AMERICAN_AIR_POWER_CIVIL_AIR_PATROL_COSTAL_PATROL_OPERATIONS_1942_1943.PDF | access-date=September 21, 2021 }}</ref>

Rehoboth Beach Airport shut down in 1987 and Rehoboth Shores Estates Community now stands on the former grounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.capegazette.com/article/air-war-waged-rehoboth-beach-airport/127167 |title=Air war waged from Rehoboth Beach airport |last=MacArthur |first=Ron |date=3 March 2017 |website=Cape Gazette |access-date=23 September 2021}}</ref> The Delaware Public Archives placed a historical marker on the site of the former airport commemorating Coastal Patrol Base 2 in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://archives.delaware.gov/historical-markers-map/civil-air-patrol/ |title=Civil Air Patrol – Coastal Patrol Base Two |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Delaware Public Archives |access-date=23 September 2021}}</ref>

===21st century===
[[Avery's Rest Site]], [[Dodd Homestead]], [[Peter Marsh House]], [[Thompson's Loss and Gain Site]], [[Thompsons Island Site]], [[Warrington Site]], and [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union Fountain]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]], maintained by the [[National Park Service]] of the [[United States Department of the Interior]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

The town often bills itself as "The Nation's Summer Capital" because it is a frequent summer vacation destination for Washington, D.C., residents as well as visitors from [[Maryland]], [[Virginia]], and [[Pennsylvania]]. Vacationers are drawn for many reasons, including the town's charm and the absence of a [[sales tax]] in [[Delaware]]. The Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk is a {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on}} long wooden [[boardwalk (entertainment district)|boardwalk]] adjacent to the beach with restaurants, shops, amusements, and attractions.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk|publisher=Visit DE Beaches|url=https://www.visitdebeaches.com/rehoboth-beach-boardwalk/|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref> The Funland amusement park, which opened in 1962, is located along the boardwalk between Delaware and Brooklyn avenues.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.capegazette.com/affiliate-post/funland-rehoboth-beach-57-years-old-and-still-creating-treasured-memories-gene/180343|title=Funland in Rehoboth Beach is 57 Years Old and Still Creating Treasured Memories for Generations of Families|author=The Oldfather Group|date=May 9, 2019|newspaper=Cape Gazette|access-date=July 10, 2020}}</ref> Several restaurants and shops are located along the town's [[main street]], Rehoboth Avenue. Outside of Rehoboth Beach along [[Delaware Route 1]], are the [[Tanger Outlets]], which operate three locations along the highway with over 130 outlet stores.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Directory & Map|publisher=Tanger Outlets|url=https://www.tangeroutlet.com/rehoboth/directory|access-date=May 26, 2016}}</ref>

Due to its proximity to [[Washington, D.C.]], Rehoboth Beach is a popular summer destination among members of the [[United States Congress]]. [[Joe Biden]], the 46th [[President of the United States]], and [[First Lady of the United States]], [[Jill Biden]], have a beach house outside the corporate limits of Rehoboth Beach in the [[North Shores, Delaware|North Shores]] neighborhood.<ref name=wp112720>{{cite news|last1=Heim|first1=Joe|last2=Leonnig|first2=Carol D.|title=After Biden win, Rehoboth Beach celebrates local boy who made good: 'He's our Joe'|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 27, 2020|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/biden-rehoboth-beach/2020/11/27/904d0fee-2ea9-11eb-860d-f7999599cbc2_story.html|access-date=November 27, 2020}}</ref> This beach house serves as their "[[Summer White House]]".<ref>{{cite news|last=Heller|first=Karen|title=Lovely, little Delaware – long famous for corporations, chickens and credit cards – is ready for its big moment|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=January 12, 2021|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/delaware-joe-biden-president/2021/01/11/18cceb4c-4ac4-11eb-a9f4-0e668b9772ba_story.html|access-date=January 20, 2021}}</ref>

Rehoboth Beach has a seasonal beach patrol who are in charge of lifeguarding the one and a half miles that make up the town's beachfront. They operate from Memorial Day weekend into the following fall season. The beach patrol is on duty every day between Memorial Day until Labor Day from 10&nbsp;am until 5&nbsp;pm on weekdays, and 10&nbsp;am until 5:30&nbsp;pm on weekends.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rehobothbeachpatrol.com |title=Rehoboth Beach- Lifeguard Beach Patrol |publisher=Rehobothbeachpatrol.com |access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref>

Rehoboth Beach is also known as one of the mid-Atlantic coast's popular [[LGBT]]-friendly getaways. LGBT tourists have been visiting and residing in the town for generations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jacobs |first=Faye |date=2020 |title=A Wild Part of Our Gay History Is Gone |url=https://www.camprehoboth.com/letters/2020/august-14-2020-camp-out-fay-jacobs |website=Letters From CAMP Rehoboth}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Barnett |first=Rich |title=978-0984999408 |publisher=GoGap |year=2012 |isbn=978-0984999408}}</ref> However, the movement toward becoming gay-friendly began with the town's culinary Renaissance in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thomas Jr. |first=Robert |date=May 31, 1987 |title=A Delaware Beach with a Double Allure |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/31/travel/a-delaware-beach-with-a-double-allure.html |work=The New York Times |pages=Sec.10, 9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sears |first=James |date=2020 |title=A Line Drawn in the Sand |url=https://www.camprehoboth.com/letters/1997/september-25th-2020-camp-rehoboth-history-project-james-t-sears-phd |archive-date= |website=Letters From CAMP Rehoboth}}</ref> The visible presence of more LGBT people during this era and the resulting community backlash coincided with the national AIDS crisis and the Moral Majority.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sears |first=James |title=Queering Rehoboth Beach: Beyond the Boardwalk |publisher=Temple University Press |year=2024 |isbn=978-1439923801 |location=Philadelphia |pages=127–177}}</ref> During the 1990s, a coterie of gay and lesbian activists challenged the town's anti-gay policies and sentiments to '''C'''reate '''A''' '''M'''ore '''P'''ositive Rehoboth ([https://www.camprehoboth.com CAMP]).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sears |first=James |title=Queering Rehoboth Beach: Beyond the Boardwalk |date=2024 |publisher=Temple University Press |isbn=978-1439923801 |pages=178–184}}</ref> Through this organization's efforts as well as that other groups, two openly gay town commissioners the following decade and the town's position on LBGT issues changed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aguirre |first=Mark |date=2003 |title=Rehoboth Beach Commissioners Go On Record Against Discrimination |url=https://www.camprehoboth.com/letters/2003/june-13-2003-rb-commissioners |website=Letters from CAMP Rehoboth}}</ref> Today, there are a large number of LGBT-owned and operated businesses; LGBT people are well-represented in town governance. Summer activities include going to the LGBT-frequented stretch of beach near Queen Street at the south end of the boardwalk, known as Poodle Beach.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rehoboth Beach: What to See and Do – Queer Lesbian Gay Travel – Gay.com<!-- Bot generated title --> |url=http://www.gay.com/travel/premium/?sernum=291 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206152614/http://www.gay.com/travel/premium/?sernum=291 |archivedate=February 6, 2005}}</ref><ref>Katy Rice, 'Across the Pond', in ''Sussex Society'', September 2011, p. 29</ref> Poodle Beach tends to attract [[gay men]] while [[North Shores, Delaware|North Shore Beach]] within [[Cape Henlopen State Park]] tends to attract [[lesbian]]s.<ref>{{Cite book| last=Wurman | first=Richard Saul | year=2007 | title=Access Washington, D.C., Tenth Edition | publisher=[[HarperCollins]] | page=223 | isbn= 9780061230806 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LcmsomW9B6EC | access-date=September 2, 2013}}</ref>

The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is located on Rehoboth Avenue near the boardwalk and serves as a free open-air music and entertainment venue in the summer months, with performances from over 50 bands during the season. Performances have been held at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand since 1963.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bandstand|publisher=City of Rehoboth Beach|url=https://www.cityofrehoboth.com/visitors/bandstand|access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref>

''[[Reader's Digest]]'' named the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk as "Best of America" and featured it in the May 2006 issue. Additionally, [[AARP]] has named Rehoboth Beach as one of five dream towns as "Best Places to Retire".<ref>Sarah Mahoney. [http://www.retirementindelaware.com/pdf/AARPDreamTowns.pdf Dream Towns]. August 8, 2006. AARP.</ref>

The town has several festivals including the Sea Witch Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rehobothfilm.com|title=Rehoboth Beach Film Society » Welcome|website=www.rehobothfilm.com}}</ref> and the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rehobothjazz.com|title=Welcome – Rehoboth Jazz Festival|website=www.rehobothjazz.com}}</ref> every year.

The Clear Space Theatre Company, a professional theater company, offers a year-round schedule of musical and dramatic productions in the Rehoboth Theatre of the Arts.

[[Dogfish Head Brewery]]'s original brewpub is located on the town's main strip Rehoboth Avenue. The location has grown in years as a popular destination for American [[craft beer]] enthusiasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1188 |title=Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats – Rehoboth Beach, DE – Beers |publisher=BeerAdvocate |access-date=April 29, 2013}}</ref> [[Grotto Pizza]] was founded in Rehoboth Beach in 1960 and has grown to 23 locations throughout the state of Delaware along with parts of [[Maryland]] and [[Pennsylvania]].<ref name=history>{{cite web|title=History|publisher=Grotto Pizza|url=http://www.grottopizza.com/history/|access-date=June 14, 2015}}</ref> 

The restaurant scene in Rehoboth Beach was traditionally centered in the downtown area, which remains competitive. In the 21st century, a restaurant scene has begun to develop along the Delaware Route 1 corridor, where parking is more available and accessible.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.capegazette.com/article/jakes-closes-downtown-rehoboth/147055|title=Jakes closes in downtown Rehoboth |last=Mavity|first=Ryan|date=December 1, 2017|newspaper=Cape Gazette|access-date=December 14, 2017}}</ref>

In 2011, the city passed a [[smoking ban]] covering parks and playgrounds, but sparing the beach and boardwalk.<ref>{{cite news
 |title=Delaware cities: Smoking still legal on Rehoboth Beach |author=Molly Murray
 |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110416/NEWS02/104160354/-1/NLETTER01/Smoking-still-legal-on-Rehoboth-Beach
 |newspaper=The News Journal |publisher=Gannett |date=April 16, 2011 |at=DelawareOnline |access-date=April 16, 2011 }}</ref> The smoking ban was extended to the beach, boardwalk, and adjacent public areas in 2014. In 2017, the city implemented a ban on tents, canopies, and large umbrellas on the beach, the first such ban in Delaware.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hughes|first1=Gray|last2=Ferrar|first2=Doug|last3=Neiburg|first3=Jeff|title=With tourists incoming, some throw shade at Rehoboth over beach tent rule|work=The Daily Times|location=Salisbury, MD|date=May 25, 2017|url=http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/delaware/2017/05/25/summer-comes/328281001/|access-date=February 6, 2018}}</ref>