Duck Creek Hundred in Smyrna in Kent County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Just Down the Road…

Late 1800's to Early 1900's

Photographed by Pete Skillman, May 20, 2024

1. Just Down the Road...Late 1800's to Early 1900's Marker

Inscription. This poster depicts the heyday of the grand resort that existed at nearby Woodland Beach during the late 1800's to early 1900's. Note the passenger train, steamship, grand hotel, dance hall and other resort facilities. As many as a thousand visitors per day came by way of water, rail and stage from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other East coast areas to vacation here.

A variety of amenities awaited visitors to the resort. An orchestra offered live entertainment. For outdoor enthusiasts, facilities for swimming, boating, fishing or hunting were provided. By the late 1800's, a bowling alley and amusement park rides - including a merry-go-round and a unique roller-coaster-like ride called the "razzle-dazzle" were added to the attractions.

An 1897 Advertisement for the Woodland Beach Resort Reads:
"This is one of the most popular and attractive bayside resorts in the country possessing the finest pavilions, handsomest grounds, with conveniences and facilities for the accommodation of guests on the bay...The cuisine is unsurpassed, the table liberally supplied with the choicest viands of the city and country markets."

One of the best known of the steamships serving Woodland Beach was the double paddle-wheeler Thomas Clyde. It made the 3-hour daily trip from Philadelphia (with a stop

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in Wilmington) carrying as many as 3000 passengers at a time.

Gone, But Not Forgotten...
In Images of America: Smyrna, Clayton and Woodland Beach, Jess Hansen (2013) profiles the rich history of this once booming Bayside town. Massive storms including "the great tidal wave of 1878, and another in 1914 contributed to the eventual downfall of Woodland Beach as a resort destination. Even after the grand hotel and other attractions were gone, people still came to Woodland Beach to eat, drink, boat & fish. Frank's Place (above right) was one of the mid-1900's hotspots.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lost at Sea series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1897.

Location. 39° 19.788′ N, 75° 31.409′ W. Marker is in Smyrna, Delaware, in Kent County. It is in Duck Creek Hundred. It can be reached from Lighthouse Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2520 Lighthouse Rd, Smyrna DE 19977, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mid-Atlantic

and on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Just Up the Road... (a few steps from this marker); In This Place… (a few steps from this marker); In This Place... (within shouting distance

Just Down the Road...Late 1800's to Early 1900's Marker wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Pete Skillman, May 20, 2024

2. Just Down the Road...Late 1800's to Early 1900's Marker wide view

of this marker); a different marker also named In This Place... (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named In This Place... (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named In This Place... (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named In This Place... (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named In This Place... (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Smyrna.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 488 times since then and 48 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 21, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.