|
In the 1800s, the Rehoboth Beach Association owned
the following six properties —- 5
Laurel
Avenue, 68 Rehoboth Avenue, 6 Brooklyn Avenue, 21 Brooklyn Avenue, 22 Brooklyn Avenue and
20 Delaware Avenue. These sites were on plots laid out by "The Rehoboth Beach Camp
Meeting Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church ".
November 15, 1884 William Bright of Wilmington, DE
purchased all six properties on the same deed for $300. At the time of purchase, he was
the president of The Rehoboth Beach Association and his son George W. Bright was the notary public who recorded the deed in book
B.K. 84 files 602, 603, 604, and 605..
William Bright died April 12, 1896. His three
children (George W. Bright, Pearl Bright and Percy Bright) were executors and trustees
under his last will and testament. The three children sold 20 Delaware Ave to Robert K.
Stephenson of Seaford, DE on October 19, 1899 for $275..
A decade after the turn of the century, on
September 9, 1910, Robert K. Stephenson sold 20 Delaware to Anna S. Ross of Rehoboth, DE
for $1,175..
No records were found giving a date when the house
was built. However, looking at the selling price between 1899 and 1910 the property shows
quite an increase in value, so it is reasonable to assume that the
house
was built during this timeframe. If so, that would make the house 89 to 100 years old,
and it would certainly be one of three original homes on Delaware Avenue..
Anna Ross sold the house May 1, 1919 to Elisha R.
Ewing of Wilmington, DE, for $2,050. Just over a year later, on June 25, 1920, Ewing sold
the house to Isabella Lynch of Wilmington, DE for $2,900. On May 15, 1924 Isabella Lynch
died and the house was left to her husband Francis E. Lynch, and two of their children - Mary Frances Lynch and Charles Stewart Lynch. The
children deeded the property back to their father, Francis E. Lynch, for $1.00 on April 7,
1926. When Francis F. Lynch died on February 16, 1930 he left the house to all the
children who lived in Wilmington, DE. That was: Marguenete M. Irwin, William J. Irwin,
Edna N. Brennan, Victor P. Brennan, Mary Frances O’Keefe, Victor P. O’Keefe,
Charles Stewart Lynch, and Mary B. Lynch..
Somehow, Marguenete Irwin was the official owner in
October 1931 because she sold the house to Erna Helena Neubert of Rehoboth Beach, DE for
$5,008. Erna owned and lived in the house and property for 37 years —
far longer than anyone else in its history..
When Erna finally did sell the house on January 29,
1968 it was to Roberta R. Berman of Wilmington, DE for $14,300, and the "BLUE POODLE HOTELA" was born! Back then a room was
28-32 dollars a night (double occupancy), NO TEENAGERS WITHOUT PARENTS and the advertising
declared that Pre—Decoration Day (Memorial Day) and Post Labor Day lodging could be
had at a genuine bargain of 20% less. Roberta owned and rented rooms in the house for 16
years..
Roberta sold the house to Donald E. O’Connor
(NOT the well-known movie star) and Patricia T. O’Connor of Fort Washington, MD April
19, 1984 for $195,000. This substantial increase in value can probably be credited to the
conversion by Erna from a family home into a beach "Hotela." The new owners
operated the house as O’Connor’s GuestHouse until July 31,
1996..
When the O’Connors sold the house July 31, 1996 to
Ronald Matthew Turlinski of Richmond, VA and Gerald Lynn Sipes of Alexandria, VA, it
became "THE LIGHTHOUSE INN!" We gave it a nautical
theme, named the rooms for towns famous for their own lighthouses Cape Henry, VA, Point
Loma, CA, Cape May, NJ, Cape Hatteras, N.C., Egyptian, Alexandria Egypt, Key West, FL and
Diamond Head, HI. Here at the Inn, every day is a holiday and every meal is a feast. We
look forward to serving our guests as friends as we welcome you into our home.
|
