Rehoboth’s Dolle’s Sign Finally Has Its New Home!
The long-awaited installation of the Dolle’s sign on the Rehoboth Beach Museum was completed Wednesday afternoon with a brief ceremony. More than 250 donors contributed $35,000 to fund the installation on the canal side of the city-owned building.
The Dolle’s sign arrival at the Rehoboth Beach Museum offers a very large example of the power of creative thinking, cross-organization cooperation and generosity, Mayor Stan Mills told those attending the dedication. “Thank you to the history museum for stepping up and offering a fitting home for our 30-foot bright orange friend here,” he added.
“The sign’s history reminds us of some of life’s basic lessons,” Mayor Mills explained. “For example, when you’re knocked down as the sign was in at least two different storms, over the decades you get back up again and while change — which often seems inevitable, can sometimes be hard and heartbreaking — it can also open the door for new opportunities. It’s not the same as it always was and it’s not necessarily better, but it provides new opportunities and in this case, I believe that is a very good thing to have preserved this sign for generations,” he explained.
“When we saw the Dolle’s sign in person, on the boardwalk or in photos, you knew exactly where you were on the boardwalk and in the Town of Rehoboth Beach,” Mayor Mills pointed out. The sign, he said, represented “Rehoboth Beach for perennial vacationers and year-round residents. So I’m pleased the sign remains a highly visible part of our community and will continue to welcome visitors and residents to Rehoboth Beach every time they enter the city via the bridge here at Rehoboth Avenue-Extended…”
David Mann, Rehoboth Beach Historical Society board president, said they left the sign as it came down. “It’s showing its age just like I am. So we’re going to do our best to keep it together and then down the road we’ll probably have a restoration project on our agenda,” he added.
Nancy Alexander, museum director, invites visitors to see the museum’s collection of historical signs from various businesses in its sign gallery. The exhibition was laid out by David McDonald and Roland Forster who also curated the lighthouse exhibition. The sign gallery’s latest addition is the Nicola Pizza sign!
