Earlier this week, one of our Facebook Followers asked us if we could find out if his childhood vacation spot in Ocean City was still there. When he was around 5 years old, back in 1967, his family visited Ocean City for the first time and stayed in a condo called “Half Dozen”. At that time, it was considered in the very north of the resort, around 91st or 92nd street, one block off the ocean. He asked us if there was anyone who could help him find this building, or at least the spot where it once stood. We reached out to several people, and also to followers on our Facebook page, to see if anyone could help him. We discovered from Buck Mann, property manager and long time Ocean City resident, that back in the day there were many 6 unit buildings, 3 up side by side, that were referred to as “6 packs”, so we thought possibly this same style of building could have been known as “half dozens”. ย Although this was interesting information, is was not helping our friend find his childhood vacation spot. Our Facebook followers were also unable to help pinpoint this specific condo building.
Then we had a breakthrough! Cara, at the Ocean ย City Life Saving Station was going through a pile of donations that had come through the very day we asked her if she had heard of Half Dozen, and she saw a guidebook titled “1971 Vacation Rental Catalog, Ocean City, Maryland.” She decided to see if the Half Dozen condo was listed since it fit within the timeframe, and voila! There is was, in all it’s black and white brochure glory!
It was perfect timing, all the planets lined up, and our friend got to see his childhood vacation spot. The ad mentions that the condo has ceramic tile baths, is hardwood paneled through out, has an automatic washer and has wall to wall carpet! The weekly rates are:
May – June 19th $125 per week,
June 19th- July 3rd $175 per week,
July 3 – September 4 – $235 per week, and
Sept 4 – October $125 per week.
We know, you don’t have to say it, prices have gone up since then! ย But you have to remember this was 1971, 53 years ago, so we were all earning a lot less then!
We told our friend of the lucky find, and now knowing the exact street to search, he went on Google Maps, and would you believe it, the building is still there!
So there is a happy ending to this story. Our friend told us “I am in tears. I can’t wait to stop by there on my next visit, and go down to the end of the street and climb the dune. Thank you again!”
We say thank you to Cara at the Ocean City Life Saving Station, and thank you to all the developers who did not decide to pull this building down and re-develop this part of Ocean city Md!
Any info on the Drop Anchor Restaurant on Talbot Street near the boardwalk. Cannot remember ever seeing it and have been going to OC since the early 1960โs.