time period, the community became famous for its nudist beaches. In 2008, the State of Delaware and United States Army Corps of Engineers constructed 16-foot (4.9-meter) sand dunes along South Bethany's beach to protect the town from high tides and large waves during hurricanes and nor'easters. The State of Delaware issued a mandatory evacuation order for beachfront residents and visitors in the town when Hurricane Sandy threatened the area on October 28 and 29, 2012. In 2014, South Bethany's Community Enhancement Committee created the Art Board initiative, which invited artists from the area to submit artwork with a coastal theme for display on outdoor trash receptacles along Ocean Drive and Seaside Drive. By 2015, the town consisted of approximately 1,387 properties with fewer than 175 vacant lots remaining, and its year-round population was 600. A nor'easter hit the Delaware coast from October 2 to 4, 2015, and severely eroded South Bethany's beach and dune. The beach and dune suffered additional damage during a winter storm that struck the area from January 22 to 24, 2016. In February 2016, officials announced that there was no funding available for replenishment of South Bethany's beach and dune during 2016, and that replenishment would not take place until 2017, in accordance with the schedule established before the two storms hit. In 2020, the United States Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to a local developer to maintain the beach and dunes damaged in the storms. Education Residents are in the Indian River School District. References External links Town of South Bethany - Official Site Towns in Sussex County, Delaware Towns in Delaware Beaches of Delaware Salisbury metropolitan area Populated coastal places in Delaware