Remembering Rosedale Beach
Historian Tamara Burks reflects on collecting local history
During the Depression and beyond, Rosedale Beach offered a place of leisure and activities for people of color nestled in the heart of the American East Coast. People came from all directions to vacation here, where they could enjoy top-of-the-line entertainment from live music to baseball games and all of the coastal amenities like church picnics and saltwater swimming.
Segregation forced division along American beaches at the time. The barring of people of color from other beaches and facilities led visitors and locals alike to the former Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort, solidifying a great cultural institution and part of history for the Black community. The Rosedale Beach story continues to draw in people today.
On June 21, from 1-2 p.m., people interested in learning more are invited to the Old State House in Dover for “Remembering Rosedale Beach,” a compilation of historical accounts and oral histories presented by historian Tamara R. Burks.
Burks recently shared some thoughts on the project and upcoming event with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. Learn more about the inspiration behind “Remembering Rosedale Beach” by reading on below.
Q: What inspired you to participate in this project?
A: Actually, my Dad inspired me. As a young child, he used to tell me unbelievable stories about Rosedale Beach, such as famous artists coming down to a little town called Millsboro, where he grew up. I had been to Millsboro and I thought there was nothing there, but I stand corrected.
Q: If people could leave with one thing or piece of information after the presentation, what would you hope it would be?
A: That the Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort was an all-inclusive utopia and a safe haven where all were welcome.
We have to keep the story alive. At one time, the Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort only existed in the minds of the people who visited and experienced what the resort had to offer. But now the Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort exists in our hearts, so the memory of Rosedale Beach will never die.
Q: What was the most surprising thing you learned about Rosedale Beach?
A: The amazing vision and plans Jesse and Geoffrie Vause had for the Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort: That outside of being a premier entertainment venue and relaxing beach front getaway, they wanted to open a museum, an assembly hall for lectures and musical, literary and social programs, a library, and they also wanted to build a restaurant, an apartment complex and an area for gaming, such as billiards (pool). They had carnivals with rides, according to my dad.
Q: How has this work changed your view on what we know about the history of Millsboro?
A: It’s made me realize that not only is Millsboro the place where my family hails from and where my dad grew up, but that at one time in history, Millsboro, Delaware, was a nationally known (and possibly internationally known) vacation and entertainment destination.
People can also learn more about Rosedale Beach through HCA’s “Segregated Sands” project, which explores Delaware’s segregated beaches during the Jim Crow era online at history.delaware.gov/zwaanendael-museum/segregated-sands.