While Slaughter Beach history dates back to the 1600’s, it was not until 1931 that the area became incorporated as a town. In the late 1800s and early 1900s Slaughter Beach was a popular destination for local townsfolk to relax and enjoy the beach, fish, and natural surrounding beauty. Several prominent families bought tracts of land and built summer cottages for family enjoyment. Later, individual lots were sold. The family-like environment they created was often at odds with the activities engaged in by some of the locals. Recall that Prohibition was the law with the 18th Amendment, and it appears that Slaughter Beach may have been involved in liquor running. Contrary to some thinking that the Delaware did not engage in “rum running”, the Delaware sands and coasts were being littered with empty Jamaica rum and whisky bottles”.

Local newspapers dated June 15, 1922, announced that “for the purpose of improving the resort and making it one of the most attractive in Delaware, the cottagers at Slaughter Beach have formed a corporation known as the Slaughter Beach Corporation, and work of rebuilding has already commenced.” The incorporators were William C. Smith, Thomas Reed, Thomas Simpson, Jr., J. Pierce Simpson, George H. Draper, and George S. Grier. They were all from Milford and owned properties in Slaughter Beach. Some improvements at the time were the remodeling of the hotel, with garages and stables added, A dance pavilion with accommodations for an orchestra, a boardwalk, and plans to add more infrastructure later. A certificate of incorporation was issued and a copy is shown right. The incorporation was announced in the June 15, 1922, newspaper articles to advertise the improvements of Slaughter Beach.

There were two articles dated June 15, 1922, announcing the Slaughter Beach Corporation and their plans and goals for the area.

Above: June 15, 1922, The News
Journal, Wilmington

Above: June 15, 1922,
The Evening Journal,
Wilmington

The articles were very similar and appeared in 2 different editions of the News Journal. What is interesting is that one article stated that Slaughter Beach was in Kent County, but this has not been verified. The Corporation was the basis of moving toward forming and incorporating the town of Slaughter Beach. The Slaughter Beach Corporation purchased the local hotel on June 1, 1922, and the articles mention the construction of a large dance pavilion next to the hotel. It was during this time that the old 2-story dance hall was moved across the street, and split into two cottages on the Bay “Old” Dance Hall ca. 1900 front. Documentation provided by Dave Kenton states that the “old” dance hall was replaced by the “new” dance hall while the Slaughter Beach Corporation owned the hotel and the center of the beach. The center of the beach was the area around what is now the intersection of Slaughter Beach Road and Bay Avenue. The Corporation wanted to improve the hotel and its amenities, install a pavilion, and coordinate the building of a boardwalk. The 2-story dance hall was moved to what is now 349 Bay Avenue and 347 Bay Avenue. On the left is the half that was moved to 349 Bay Avenue and later in the 1980s was moved to the next lot north to 351 Bay Avenue, elevated on pilons and had substantial remodeling done. On the right is the other half of the dance hall and to this day remains essentially as it did in 1922. On the right, below, is the “new” dance hall, erected around 1922, and was only 1 story. The Slaughter Beach Corporation added other infrastructure until the formation of the Town of Slaughter Beach took over the task of building a town.

Sources: Delaware Public Archives 9015-028-000 Caley Post Card Collection
Delaware Public Archives Slaughter Beach 1931 Incorporation
Wikipedia – Prohibition in the United States
Delmarva now: Delaware sand littered with empty rum and whisky bottles Aug. 3, 2019 “New” Dance Hall ca. 1922