User:Isablidine/Augustine Beach Hotel

Augustine Inn

Located at the upper corner of Delaware Bay, a short distance below Port Penn, the Augustine Inn was large hotel with a pier which jutted out into the water.

The land and Inn were owned originally by John A. Alrich and Adam Deihl, the former, a direct descendant of Peter Alrich, first Governor of Delaware.

The steamer "Thomas Clyde" offered excursions to the Inn once a day during the weekdays and on Sundays there were three excursions.

The site was named for Augustine Herman, a surveyor of the 17th century who made a map of the Delaware-Chesapeake region.

The site was purchased by Simeon Lord, who in 1895 sold it to Gam Bros who kept it in their possession until 1901, when Otis, Mott and Cordrey purchased the property. The register showed that on July 4, 1899, President William McKinley and valet registered that day.

Bath houses were built in 1914 by Edward Cordrey. In the main hall of the hotel was a walnut hall rack and mirror measuring 9 1/2 feet high by 2 1/2 feet wide coming from the steamer Thomas Clyde. The resort was then sold to the Delaware Beach Corporation which operated it for three years. On December 1, 1945, Augustine Beach was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Texis. Further improvements were made to the hotel including a new bar, dance hall and a cafe that seat 500 persons. Also during this period 14 building which adjoined the beach were sold and 14 cottages were erected called Augustine Manor.