REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.- State leaders and people who live in Rehoboth Beach gathered Thursday to celebrate the "nation’s summer capital’s" fifth historical marker which recognizes early 20th century safety ropes in the ocean.
President of the Village Improvement Association (VIA) Ann Sebastian describes how the lines worked.
"Anchored on the sand and put out in the ocean with a buoy," Sebastian said. "So that when women bathers go into the ocean they could hold on to the safety line if necessary but definitely use it in order to haul themselves out."
Many of the speakers had not heard of this invention until this marker was proposed. The one that could connect to it most was Speaker Of The House and sponsor Pete Schwartzkopf who served as a lifeguard for six years in Bethany Beach.
"I think back to some of the days I was in that ocean," Schwartzkopf said. "It was as rough as it could be and I thought how on earth did they ever get out and that was a way to make sure everyone could get in and out of the water."
In Rehoboth Beach City Hall is a picture from the Rehoboth Beach Museum that shows people wearing heavy clothing in the ocean. If you take a closer look you can see people holding on to that surf safety line in order to get in and out of the water.
The VIA is the group responsible for the safety line which has been active for over a century and is recognized on all five of Rehoboth’s markers. Mayor of Rehoboth Beach Stan Mills says the organization has helped with many other projects.
"Putting in sidewalks, putting in street lights, street signs, water fountains, providing money for purchase of beach wheelchairs, a children’s fishing pier they helped build," Mills said.
The next historical marker to be revealed in Rehoboth Beach will recognize the 100th anniversary of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol and that is expected to be unveiled in July.