Museum film screening, exhibit to spotlight Storm of ’62
The Rehoboth Beach Museum will present an exhibit and a documentary film screening marking the 60th anniversary of the notorious Storm of ‘62.
On Ash Wednesday, March 7, 1962, a nor’easter off the coast of the mid-Atlantic and higher tides caused by a new moon became a recipe for disaster when a low-pressure system stalled the storm through five high tide cycles. These repeated tidal assaults battered the Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach coastline for four long days.
The Rehoboth Beach Museum will offer an exhibit titled A Storm Like No Other … The Great Storm of 1962 from Friday, March 4 through Sunday, May 15. It marks the storm’s 60th anniversary, and includes images and oral history quotes from those who remember its devastation. In addition, the museum will screen the documentary film “The ’62 Storm: Delaware’s Shared Response” at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, March 5. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Visit rehobothbeachmuseum.org to make a reservation.
The exhibit reveals that Rehoboth and Dewey Beaches suffered millions of dollars in damage to area businesses, private homes and the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. Buildings fell apart, and debris was strewn across the beach; many private homes simply fell off their foundations into the sand. Amusement rides were lost to the receding tide, and precious antiques and fine art followed suit from a popular auction house. Waves burst into homes along the shore, filling them with sand almost to the second story.
The exhibit also reveals the involvement of the National Guard and the process of rebuilding the town. Selected text for the exhibit is taken from the book “Deadly Storms of the Delmarva Coast” by author Michael Morgan.
Rehoboth Beach museum hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.., Saturday and Sunday. The museum is located at 511 Rehoboth Ave. Parking is available and the museum is handicap accessible. For more information, visit rehobothbeachmuseum.org or call 302-227-7310.
