American Resort Hotel Company
company · active 1910-
Syndicate that took over the whole of the Ocean City Beach Company's holdings on Sinepuxent Beach — 'all the hotel properties, equipments, etc.' — in a transfer recorded in Worcester County at the beginning of February 1910. The county paper described it as 'composed of first-class hotel men and eminent capitalists who have made a success of seaside resort hotels', owning houses at Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Atlantic City and other Atlantic Coast resorts, and named Henry M. Flagler as one of its stockholders. It undertook to pay off the Beach Company's indebtedness at once and to put carpenters and mechanics to work repairing, painting and remodelling the Atlantic Hotel, the Seaside Hotel and the rest of the property, with the declared intention of making Ocean City a winter resort as well as a summer one. Its ownership of the Atlantic is independently confirmed in September 1910, when a visitor who fell down the hotel's elevator shaft sued the company for $10,000. Nothing came of the winter-resort plan in 1910: the Atlantic closed for the season in the first week of September as it always had.
In the record (5)
1910 · 1910-02-05
Every hotel on the beach changes hands at once: the Ocean City Beach Company's whole holding passes to the American Resort Hotel Co., which means to make Ocean City a winter resort.
The real-estate transfers column of 5 February 1910 records, in one line, 'American Resort Hotel Co. from Ocean City Beach Co., certain property, including all the hotel properties, equipments, etc., on Sinepuxent Beach. Consideration, $1.00, etc.' The paper thought it worth a separate paragraph: 'A real estate [transaction] of much interest to Ocean City has just been consummated ... This transfer will likely mean a great deal to Ocean City as the American Hotel Company is composed of first-class hotel men and eminent capitalists who have made a success of seaside resort hotels. The Company owns hotels at Palm Beach, Jacksonville, Atlantic City and other resorts along the Atlantic Coast. One of the stockholders is Henry M. Flagler, the millionaire, who has built palace hotels in Florida and railroads in that State. All of the indebtedness of the Ocean City Beach Company will be paid off promptly and carpenters and mechanics will be put to work repairing, painting, remodeling and improving in many ways the Atlantic Hotel, the Seaside Hotel and the other property of the Company at Ocean City. The intention is to make Ocean City a winter resort as well as a summer resort.' The purchase is corroborated seven months later from an unfriendly direction: in September the Atlantic Hotel is described in a damage suit as 'owned by the American Resort Hotel Co.' The winter-resort scheme left no further trace in 1910, and the Atlantic closed for the season in the first week of September as usual.
Unverified — sourced but not confirmed against a primary record.
Atlantic HotelOcean City Beach Company
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1910 · 1910-07-03
A visitor falls down the Atlantic Hotel's elevator shaft in the dark and sues for $10,000 — and the suit is the first proof the hotel had an elevator.
Mr. Forbes sued in the Circuit Court for Worcester County for $10,000 damages 'because of injuries received by him at the Atlantic Hotel, Ocean City, owned by the American Resort Hotel Co.' He alleged that on 3 July 1910, visiting a guest of the hotel, 'he was precipitated down an elevator shaft of the hotel, because of the darkness which prevented him from seeing that the elevator was not at the floor landing, although he was invited to enter it by an employee of the hotel.' He fell 'quite a distance', broke his jaw bone and sustained other serious injuries. No outcome was printed.
Unverified — sourced but not confirmed against a primary record.
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1911
A year after buying the whole hotel front for a dollar, the American Resort Hotel Company spends 1911 selling Ocean City off in blocks.
The Democratic Messenger's Real Estate Transfers column tracks the syndicate's disposals through 1911. On 10 June: five lots fronting on Philadelphia Avenue to Louis W. Gunby and Orlando Harrison; lots at the corner of South Fourth Street and Baltimore Avenue to L. D. Lynch & Co.; and 'Manor Real Estate and Trust Co. from American Resort Hotel Co., eight lots at Ocean City, Maryland. Consideration, $15,000' — the largest single Ocean City consideration in the year's transfers. The company also took a lot back from Levin D. Lynch at the north-east corner of South Fourth and Philadelphia. On 16 December: 'Arthur S. Stanford from American Resort Hotel Co., all the lots in Blocks Nos. 80, 81 and 82 north, at or near Ocean City. Consideration, $5,000.' The winter-resort scheme the company had announced in February 1910 left no trace in 1911.
Source · checked 2026-08-11
1911 · 1911-03-25
The hotel company asks the B.C.&A. to develop Ocean City; the railway promises an up-town station and better handling of the fish.
The Democratic Messenger of 25 March 1911 reprinted the Wicomico News: 'The company which owns the Atlantic and Seaside Hotels appealed to the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway Company to assist in the development of Ocean City... The fish business at Ocean City has grown to such a large extent the company has been handicapped in properly handling the output, but when the improvements are made as contemplated the output can be handled with great ease and the service will be much better for the shippers than at present. The building of an up-town station will be a great convenience to the cottagers at Ocean City. As it is now, the walk is a long one from the cottages up the beach down to the station, and especially so in rainy weather. When the new passenger station is built passengers can land almost at their cottage doors and it will be a big incentive for persons to build summer homes further up the beach... Besides these improvements many new cottages are now being built at Ocean City and everything points to a better season than for several years past. The boardwalks are being rebuilt and the hotels renovated preparatory to opening up the season about the middle of June.'
The second, uptown depot was promised in 1910, promised again in 1911, and never built — the island's northward drift kept outrunning its railway.
Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway
Source · checked 2026-08-11
1911 · 1911-06-24
The Atlantic Hotel reopens on 24 June 1911 under Dr. John G. Fuller, advertising an elevator, an orchestra and $15 a week.
The Atlantic Hotel advertised in the Washington papers all spring, and its opening date slipped three times — 'OPEN JUNE 13' in the Washington Times of 28 May, 'OPEN JUNE 25' on 29 and 30 May, and finally, in the Evening Star of 16 June, 'Atlantic Hotel Opens June 24. Extensive Improvements. All modern conveniences. Orchestra. All rooms ocean exposure. JOHN G. FULLER, Manager.' The fuller advertisement styled him 'DR. JOHN G. FULLER, Resident Director' and offered 'All seashore sports - golf, tennis, bathing, sailing, fishing. Elevator service - orchestra. Large, airy rooms.' By 7 July the house was selling week-ends: 'Our special week-end rates will be continued until further notice. From Saturday night supper to Monday breakfast. All rooms airy and ocean view. Weekly rates, $15.' The hotel was owned by the American Resort Hotel Company, which had bought it in February 1910; golf at Ocean City in 1911 is otherwise undocumented in this campaign.
Source · checked 2026-08-11