Rehoboth Beach
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 Known for its large and tasty oranges. (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.tly, the name had obvious appeal to the religious founders of the city.
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, Viginia, 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 strech 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.
