Local Ocean It’s History
1970 in Ocean City by Fred Miller
I
Fifty years ago, this bronze plaque was added to Ocean City’s 50-year-old World War stone monument on Veterans Day 1970.
Fred Miller, 14th Street lifeguard, shows off his award winning rowing techniques during the summer of 1970.
N 1790, by George Washington’s orders, 650 men on horseback, in stagecoaches and on foot counted almost four million Americans. In 1970, the Census Bureau reported there were 203 million Americans. The report included the following counts: New Jersey – 7,168,164; Cape May County – 59,554; Ocean City –10,575. Ocean City showed a 39 percent increase in population between 1960 and 1970. Ocean City had the largest population of the 16 municipalities in Cape May County – 421 more people than Lower Township. Elected officials in 1970: President of the United States Richard Nixon, Vice President Spiro Agnew, Mayor Robert L. Sharp, Commissioner Chester J. Wimberg, and Commissioner David L. Simpson. Building Inspector Daniel F. Connor reported on January 12 that the construction industry in Ocean City soared to record proportions in 1969 with more new dwellings being built than during any single year in the 53-year history of the municipal building department. There were 347 new dwellings constructed that year. On January 28, Jaycees president Kenneth Strang presented the group’s Distinguished Service Award to sports reporter Tom Williams. More than a few eyebrows were raised in late February at the city’s 1970 budget. The $5.35 million budget was up more than a million dollars. Taxpayers got to see where a lot of their tax dollars were going on March 4 when the city’s dredge, “Sandpiper” began pumping sand from the bottom of the bay onto the 16th Street beach. The dredge sucked up the sand in the Great Egg Harbor bay and pumped it across the island through a 3,000-foot long pipe. E. Fenton Carey, OCHS swim coach presented varsity letters to Don Hamilton, John Pfaeffli, James Gayle, Dennis Var, Bill Struckell, Jeff Brown, Jim Dull, Lew Barrett, Dave Bruce, Dave Turner, Rich Miller, Steve Brown, Peter Downham and Gary Benzon. Ocean City’s Guy Gargan won the 112-pound Delaware Valley Golden Gloves championship when he knocked out his opponent in the third round. OCHS’s Barbara Belyea placed third in the Women’s World Surfboard Riding championships held in Melbourne, Australia. On May 16, 300 members and guests attended the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner at the Flanders Hotel. The guest of honor, journalist and author Gay Talese, was
The 1970 OCBP competition team won all four South Jersey lifeguard championships. From left to right, Kevin Daly, Mark Nichols, Mike Bradley, Captain George T. Lafferty, Paul Sweeney, Bruce Wigo, Ernie Wakeman, Jack McDermott, John Hellabush, and Bill Lafferty.
30 OCNJMAGAZINE.COM
JULY 2020
