Category: History

A glamorous makeover for the Sea Mist

Editor’s Note: An inaccuracy has been brought to my attention. In my original article I quoted an earlier article which stated that the exterior of The Sea Mist was the work of “the subsequent nine owners.” That is not true. One man – Fred Morrison is responsible for “the look.” We have made that correction… Read more »

Franklin Street School: The Past and the Future

Emily Dempsey doesn’t remember her first day at Franklin Street Elementary School. “But I do remember my mother holding my hand on my way to school and I remember that my (older) sister Florence took me to school shortly after that.” Emily Dempsey doesn’t remember any one particular day at Franklin Street School but she… Read more »

Monarch Butterflies in Cape May

Consider the Monarch Butterfly. It begins life as a caterpillar living underneath the leaves of the milkweed plant for a couple of weeks. Then, it forms a letter J and hangs out under a sheltered area forming a big green glob for about 10 days, after which, it emerges as a breathtakingly beautiful orange and… Read more »

150 Years of Firefighting

If any one ever tells you that history doesn’t make a difference, tell them to come to Cape May. Yes, it would have been a seaside resort no matter what, given it’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, but who knew that a fire in 1878 would ensure National Historic Landmark status nearly 100 years later? And, who knew that the impact of that same fire that occurred on Nov. 9, 1878 leveling 39 acres of land right in the heart of the city could still be felt on a sunny Sunday afternoon in October, 2004?

Which house is the oldest house on Cape Island?

Which house is the oldest house on Cape Island? Is it the house at 653½ Washington Street, also known as The Colonial House? Or is it the old “Whilldin-Miller House” at 416 South Broadway where Daniels on Broadway Restaurant currently resides?

Who’s really staying at the Columbia House?

I’ve been looking for ghosts for three years running and have yet to see one, hear one, or feel one – let alone talk to one. Everyone else seems to see them and sometimes even photograph them. What’s wrong with me? I’m a nice person. Why don’t they show themselves to me?

To dephrag or not dephrag?

That is the question currently being posed by residents of Cape May Point as well as the New Jersey Environmental Federation, the City of Cape May, and the New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers moves forward with a plan to spray the glyphosate-based herbicide Rodeo on 57 acres of… Read more »

Carriage Horses Up Close

Who are those horses riding through Cape May? We see them pulling wedding carriages, pulling tourists through the scenic areas of town, and waiting for passengers on Washington Street across from the Washington Commons shops. But who are they? Established in 1983 by Beverly Carr, Cape May Carriage Company has served the Cape May community… Read more »