Ocean View · History and events
Ocean View, Delaware: history and events
History, lore, events and occasions in Ocean View, Sussex County, Delaware: 12 questions answered from official and primary sources.
More about Ocean View
Questions about history and events in Ocean View
History and lore
When was Ocean View incorporated?
Ocean View was incorporated April 13, 1889, and held its first town council meeting April 20, 1889 with nine elected members. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
How did Ocean View get its name?
The village began as Hall's Store, after a general store opened by W. S. Hall shortly after 1800. After the Civil War it was renamed Ocean View, and the town says residents could see the Atlantic from the second stories of many homes. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
Is there a legend about how Ocean View was named?
The Delaware Public Archives says the village, first called Hall's Store, was renamed Ocean View because the Atlantic, about two miles east, could supposedly be seen from second-floor windows. Source: archives.delaware.gov.
Who first owned the land at Ocean View?
Matthew Scarborough received a 500-acre tract called Middlesex under a grant from Lord Baltimore. The land passed to the Hazzard family and then the Hall family, who founded the town. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
Why is Ocean View called the birthplace of the broiler industry?
In 1923 Cecile Long Steele raised her first flock of broiler-fryer chickens for commercial sale in Ocean View, which the town calls the birthplace of the commercial broiler industry. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
What historic sites are in Ocean View?
The Evans-West House at 40 West Avenue, built in 1901, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The state announced the listing in December 2015. The town's Historic Village also includes the Tunnell West House, which displays local artifacts. Source: history.delaware.gov, oceanviewde.gov.
Events, holidays and occasions
What events does Ocean View hold at John West Park?
Ocean View's 2023 community lineup included Fire and Ice (January), Spring Fling (May), a summer concert series (June), movie nights (September), Cops and Goblins (October) and an Old Town Holiday Market (November). Lineups change each year, so check the town calendar. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
When is the Ocean View tree lighting?
The tree lighting is part of the Old Town Holiday Market at John West Park, held on a Saturday around the end of November. In 2025 it was Saturday, November 29, at dusk. Source: coastalpoint.com, oceanviewde.gov.
Is Ocean View part of the Fire and Ice Festival?
Yes. John West Park in Ocean View hosts ice sculptures, and the town is a sponsor of the festival led by the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber. The 2026 festival ran January 30 to February 1. Source: selbyville.delaware.gov.
What is Cops and Goblins in Ocean View?
It is an October family Halloween event at John West Park. The town's 2023 lineup listed the eighth annual edition on a Saturday afternoon. Source: oceanviewde.gov.
Where is the nearest Fourth of July parade to Ocean View?
Bethany Beach holds a noon parade on July 4 with a concert and fireworks later that evening, per recent listings. No Ocean View parade was found. Source: bestofbethany.com, wdel.com.
Is Return Day a holiday in Ocean View?
Return Day is a Sussex County legal holiday under Delaware Code Title 1, Section 501: the second day after the General Election, after 12:00 noon. It falls on the Thursday after Election Day in even-numbered years, and in 2026 that is November 5. The main celebration is held in Georgetown. Source: delcode.delaware.gov, visitsoutherndelaware.com, dagsboro.delaware.gov.
How these answers are sourced
Every answer on this page cites an official or primary source, such as the town, a state agency, NOAA or the institution itself. Answers SussexCounty.ai could not confirm from a primary source are left out until they can be.