In 1900, baby Charles Horn, Jr. was ill and not expected to live. His father loved Rehoboth, Delaware so much, that he moved the entire family down to the beach full time. "They thought this was a good place [for me] to die," Charles reflected. For several years, Charles, Sr. had owned a seasonal business called Horn's on the Boardwalk, which eventually featured a dance hall, vaudeville theater, pool room, refreshment stand, store, ice cream parlor and soda fountain. Horns covered "nearly the whole width of Rehoboth Avenue, with a main store in the center two-and-a-half stories high."

Charles, Jr. grew up watching vacationers enjoy the delights of the beach. Mr. Horn says,
In those days, the men wore neckties and hats and the women sat in long, light-colored dresses under black umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Most of women only waded in the water, because if they went in any deeper their underclothing and corsets would get wet. The summer season began on the 4th of July and continued only until Labor Day. Most families stayed for a month in July or August, or even two full months; a few people stayed only for a week, but no one came only for the weekend in the days before automobiles. While Rehoboth remained a popular destination throughout Charles Horn's lifetime, the town and visitors' activities changed tremendously.