1927 Fire damage - Large Photo The Hippodrome is gone as well as almost everything south of the Strand Theatre

On October 11, 1927 a fire which reportedly began in a pile of trash under the boardwalk at 9th street, destroyed almost all of the boardwalk from Moorlyn Terrace to 10th Street. Strong southeastern winds fanned the blaze which consumed the buildings at the heart of the boardwalk. Shriver's Salt Water Taffy, the Hippodrome Pier, the Plaza Theatre, a hotel, and many stores were all burned to the ground.

The original Strand Theatre, the Moorlyn Theatre, the Park Theatre, Simms Restaurant, and Doughty's Pier all survived. When the boardwalk was rebuilt, it was built about 300 feet closer to the ocean. Over the previous years the ocean had receded and the city planners used this new space for the boardwalk. Even sections of the boardwalk that survived were torn down in favor of the new eastern boardwalk. (Today Ocean City is still battling the shrinking beach and probably wishes the boardwalk had been left in place.)

After the new boardwalk was built, Shriver's Taffy was rebuilt at 9th and Boardwalk. Surviving buildings, such as the Moorlyn, Simms, and the (old) Strand were moved up to the new boardwalk using rails, windlasses and horses.