In the early 20th century near this spot, steam trains on The Chesapeake Beach Railway brought passengers from Washington DC to a beach and park with restaurants, arcade games, a scenic railway, a carousel, music at the band shell, and a dancing pavilion. Many of these attractions stood on a boardwalk over the water, 300 to 400 feet from shore, while visitors also enjoyed swimming, boating, fishing, crabbing, picnic grounds, walking paths through shady groves, scenic overlooks over the Chesapeake Bay, restaurants, and hotels. The amusement park passed through three distinct periods: the Boardwalk era from 1900 until 1930; Seaside Park, a land-based park that opened in the summer of 1930 and lasted through the summer of 1942, when park operations were curtailed by WWII; and the postwar Chesapeake Beach Park, which continued until closing in 1972. Its notable rides included the Great Derby, a grand roller coaster over the water that opened in 1916 and survived for a decade, and The Comet, a later land-based roller coaster of the 1930’s and early 1940’s. In the later park, the Ballroom and the Salt Water Swimming Pool were among the favorite attractions.