Vanishing Ocean City With Bunk Mann

The Dispatch

Hurricane Gloria struck Ocean City a glancing blow this week 28 years ago, on Sept. 27, 1985. Had she scored a direct hit, the loss might have been devastating, perhaps as bad as that experienced by New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy. As it was, Gloria left the Boardwalk in pieces and the amount of sand deposited on the town’s streets was exceeded only by the infamous March Storm of ’62.
Despite the damage, Hurricane Gloria left a positive legacy. It became the catalyst for one of the most important projects in Ocean City’s history -- the beach replenishment program. In a joint effort between federal, state and local governments, sand was pumped from the ocean floor and the beaches widened. A seawall was built along the Boardwalk with steel sections driven 35 feet into the sand. Finally, the dune line was rebuilt from 27th Street to the Delaware line.
It’s been 28 years and Hurricane Gloria remains the last storm to destroy Ocean City’s Boardwalk.
Photo courtesy of Doris and Al Kemp