Red Cross Circle of Ocean City
civic · founded 1917
The women's Red Cross body at Ocean City during the First World War, first recorded in November 1917 planning "an elaborate dinner on Thanksgiving Day, at the Mt. Vernon, under the management of Mrs. J. D. Showell" — turkey, wild fowl and chicken pot pie, served one to five o'clock, a dollar for adults and half price for children, with services at the different churches and rest rooms provided for guests. It is the earliest organised war-relief body at Ocean City in the campaign's record, and the first documented off-season use of a resort hotel for war work.
In the record (3)
1917 · 1917-11-29
The Red Cross Circle of Ocean City serves an "old time" Thanksgiving dinner at the Mt. Vernon — a dollar for adults, half price for children.
The Democratic Messenger of 24 November 1917: "The ladies of the Red Cross Circle of Ocean City are planning to give an elaborate dinner on Thanksgiving Day, at the Mt. Vernon, under the management of Mrs. J. D. Showell. In addition to the feast, which will be an old time dinner, consisting of turkey, wild fowl, chicken pot pie, and all the trimmings, there will be services at the different churches, and rest rooms provided for the guests. Dinner will be served from one to five o'clock. Adults, one dollar, children one half price." The Mt. Vernon is J. D. Showell's house — the same Showell whom President Wilson had made postmaster in March. This is the campaign's first record of an organised Red Cross body at Ocean City, and the first documented use of a resort hotel out of season for war work.
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1918 · 1918-10-05
"INFLUENZA HAS THE COUNTRY IN ITS GRIP" -- Worcester County closes its schools, churches and moving-picture shows in the first week of October 1918.
The Democratic Messenger's front page of 5 October 1918: "INFLUENZA HAS THE COUNTRY IN ITS GRIP! MANY HUNDREDS DIE OF PNEUMONIA CAUSED BY THE DISEASE. Schools, Churches, Theatres And Other Crowd-Drawing Places Closed. Spanish Influenza, or the old fashioned 'grip,' is raging all over the country and many deaths are occurring daily as a result of pneumonia developments." The paper named the route in: "Influenza has been brought to the Eastern Shore from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Wilmington by our people visiting in those cities." And the scope: "Schools, moving picture shows, churches, and all places where the public gathers in any very considerable number have been closed to prevent the spread of the disease. In Worcester County there are a great many people ill and every precaution should be taken to prevent an epidemic." A week later the Berlin column recorded flatly that "the churches, schools, and moving picture parlors have all been closed this week," and "most rural schools have been closed" on account of the influenza. This is the first substantial entry in the campaign's health lens for the whole 1869-1918 span.
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1941 · 1941-12-23
Ocean City raised $230.00 in the Red Cross Roll Call — fourth of seven Worcester towns — and its war-fund quota, set at $650, was put in the hands of Mrs. Chas. Ludlam, Jack Lynch and Harry Kelley.
Two December tables measure the town against its neighbours better than any census figure. The Red Cross Roll Call for Worcester County, reported by Mrs. John Timmons of Snow Hill as publicity chairman: 'Pocomoke City, $549.68; Snow Hill, 439.15; Berlin, 368.35; Ocean City, 230.00; Stockton, 62.05; Newark, 60.60; Whaleyville, 58.60.' And the county's war fund appeal, with quotas and co-chairmen by district: Pocomoke City $1,400 under Mrs. Lee Hall and Mr. Raymond Dryden; Berlin $1,250 under Mrs. Richard Phillips and Mr. Sheldon Chandler; Snow Hill $1,100 under Mrs. Helen Smack and Mr. Ben T. Truitt; and 'Ocean City, Mrs. Chas. Ludlam, Mr. Jack Lynch, Harry Kelley; quota, $650.00.' Ocean City is the fourth town of the county on both lists, ahead of the villages and well behind the three market towns — a resort of a thousand year-round people measured, for once, out of season. The names are the interest. 'Jack Lynch' is the John B. Lynch the council had just made Commander of its home defence council; and Harry Kelley is the name the bridge then being finished across Sinepuxent Bay would eventually carry.
Source · checked 2026-08-11