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"Old
Chesapeake Beach" by Paul McGehee depicts the famous Maryland beach of
yesteryear as it appeared in 1917. In the late 1800s, plans were made
by developers to create a magnificent beach resort on the shores of the
Chesapeake Bay. In 1894 official charter was given to incorporate the
town of Chesapeake Beach, located in southern Maryland less than 30
miles from the Nation's Capital. A railroad mogul named Otto Mears put
the town on the map with the creation of the Chesapeake Beach Railroad
Company, which had tracks connecting the resort to Washington, D.C. and
Baltimore. From the early 1900s until the mid-1930s, Chesapeake Beach
was one of the most popular resort destinations for the mid-Atlantic
region. A series of connected piers were constructed upon which a
Boardwalk was built where multitudes of visitors enjoyed all manner of
attractions and amusements overtop of the lapping waters of the
Chesapeake. An opulent hotel named the
Belvedere was constructed for resort lodging. At the steamboat pier,
excursion steamers such as the beautiful side-wheeler "Dreamland"
brought in thousands of eager beachgoers from Baltimore. Shooting
galleries, a casino, a carousel, theatres, a bandstand and an elaborate
"Scenic Railway" ride drew crowds of people. There was even a boardwalk
attraction which involved performing bears. And back then people
dressed for the beach! It was common to see folks promenading the
boards; men dressed in their suits and ties, and the ladies in long
dresses carrying colorful parasols. Those who wished to bathe in the
surf could visit one of several bathhouses to rent a full-length wool
bathing suit! The main amusement attraction to all who visited was a
huge roller coaster named "The Great Derby" which was situated overtop
of the water within the complex of piers just off of the sandy beach.
The wooden coaster ran from the teens until the late 1920s and at the
time was one of the largest and fastest on the east coast. Eventually,
competition from other beaches (along with the economic ravages of the
Great Depression and a major storm or two) took its toll on Chesapeake
Beach as it entered a period of decline over the next 40 years. The
coaster and the boardwalk piers soon became a fond memory to those who
knew the beach in its heyday, and the last of the arcade attractions
finally closed down in 1972. In recent years, however, a new resort
named The Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa has been built and is again
bringing thousands of vacationers to this beautiful bayside spot.
Locals say that sometimes on a moonlit summer's night...when the breeze
blows just right...you can
still hear the clatter of the old roller coaster and the ghostly
whistle of Otto Mears' train! "Old Chesapeake Beach"
is faithfully reproduced from Paul's original color pencil drawing as
an archival quality print issued in a strictly limited edition of only
2,000 pieces each hand-signed by the artist.
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