Village Improvement Association
At the turn of the 20th Century, Rehoboth Beach was a quaint church camp village and summer residence for many seeking relief from city life. Horses, wagons, and buggies traveled the streets. There were no paved sidewalks, crosswalks, street lamps, lifeguards, benches, water fountains, or trash cans. Lake Gerar was a swamp and Silver Lake […]
Surf Safety Line
When at the beach, women of the early 20th century wore woolen bathing attire that covered most of their bodies. When wet, the suits were heavy, and it became difficult to leave the surf and get back onto the beach without help. The women of the Village Improvement Association (VIA) solved this by funding Surf […]
Rehoboth Beach Public Library
The Rehoboth Beach Public Library was established by the Village Improvement Association (VIA) in 1912 in order to provide free access to books for the community. In its early years the library moved between VIA members’ homes and public spaces. In June 1942 the State Library Commission designated space for the library at City Hall, […]
