In 1965, construction was completed on Ocean Playland Amusement Park on 65th street bayside on a large peninsula-type lot that protruded out into the bay at a price tag of over $2 million. The park was only 860 feet long and 375 feet wide and sat behind a 1000-car parking lot off of Coastal Highway. The park, which officially opened for its first day of business on June 18, 1965, was developed by Jim Caine, Oscar Carey, and George Chandler and was built to offer amusements to those staying in uptown Ocean City. Ocean Playland was managed by Jack Morningstar who was the boss of over 100 employees during the summer and managed over 40 of the park’s major attractions. The park, labeled by the media as “Delmarva’s Million Dollar Playground,” became an immediate success in north Ocean City, which at the time was extremely underdeveloped and sparse. Ocean Playland operated as a concessionaire park, meaning businessmen and women would come from all over to set up their equipment and pay a percentage of their earnings to the park as a concession.
Unlike many of its competitors, Ocean Playland offered free admission and a pay-one-price riding system so customers could enjoy a plethora of unique attractions including a complete monorail, a full wooden coaster called the Hurricane, a miniature golf course, and dozens of amusement attractions of all types and for all ages. One of the most significant attractions in Ocean Playland was Ghost Ship, a dark ride built by Bill Tracy who at the time worked under a company entitled Universal Design Limited. Although the park closed in 1981, this attraction would live on in Ocean City for decades to come thanks to a high bid and a vision from Granville Trimper. Granville was able to purchase the ride’s contents, including the cars and track, for a later expansion of The Haunted House.
|
