History

Ross B. Geisbert

auctioneer · active 1915

Auctioneer of Ocean City, Md., who advertised weekly in the Democratic Messenger through the autumn of 1915: "Attends to auctioneering in all its branches. Selling Real Estate and Personal Property a specialty. Terms reasonable." The first resident auctioneer the campaign has recorded at Ocean City, and a sign of a lot market big enough to keep one.

In the record (1)

  1. 1915

    Ten cents admitted you to the Ocean City pier in 1915, with dancing and fishing thrown in; the pavilion itself was free, and the pier ran day and night with new bowling alleys, pool tables, a soda fountain, a museum and moving pictures every night.

    The pier's display card, standing in the Democratic Messenger all season: "The Pier — Ocean City's Greatest Attraction! OPEN DAY AND NIGHT. New Bowling Alleys, Pool Tables, Soda Fountain & Museum. DANCING every afternoon and evening at the end of Pier. Moving Pictures every night. Admission to Pavilion is Free. 10c. admits to Pier with privilege of Dancing and Fishing. SEASON TICKETS AT SPECIAL PRICE." The pier had been leased out in 1911 and was under Orlando Harrison's association in 1913; by 1915 it is being advertised as a year-round-hours amusement plant rather than a fishing platform with a pavilion on it. The other Ocean City cards in the same columns fill in the boardwalk: "The Virginia, On Ocean Front and Board Walk, Bathing from the Hotel, Cuisine the Best, Rates Moderate — LAFAYETTE JOHNSON, Proprietor"; "Conner's Restaurant, On Board Walk — Best of Everything to Eat, GEO. B. CONNER, Prop'r"; "John D. Showell — The Oceanic Bath Houses, The Oceanic Hotel, The Mt. Vernon Hotel"; "JOSEPH SCHAEFER, the BAKER, OCEAN CITY, MD. Ice Cream, Plain and Fancy Cake, Layer and Pound Cake, Pies, Rolls and Buns, Best Bread ... Will ship you any quantity"; "Cranes Ice Cream, Hackney's Fountain, Ocean City, Md."; and "ROSS B. GEISBERT, Auctioneer, Ocean City, Md. Selling Real Estate and Personal Property a specialty."

    Ocean City Fishing PierOcean City BoardwalkJoseph SchaeferLafayette JohnsonJohn D. Showell

    Source · checked 2026-08-06