About Cape May, New Jersey
Recognized as the oldest seashore resort in America
Cape May, NJ is a city and seaside resort at the tip of southern New Jersey’s peninsula. The earliest inhabitants of the peninsula were the Kechemeche Indians of the Lenni-Lenape tribe who mainly hunted the grounds. English colonists from Connecticut and Massachusetts, by the late 17th century, had further developed whaling and introduced farming to this area now known as Cape Island.
Originally called Cape Island, it was renamed in 1869 for the Dutch explorer Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, who visited there in 1620. In 1963, encouraged by Dr. Tenenbaum and Bill Murtagh, head of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the city applied for and received a $3.5 million dollar grant - the first Urban Renewal Grant given to a small city specifically for preservation.
The State Of New Jersey recognizes Cape May as America's oldest seaside resort. The City of Cape May credits itself as the nation’s oldest seashore resort. Britannica defines it as the oldest beach resort in the nation.
The first European explorers arrived in the Cape May area in the early 17th century. Dutch navigator Cornelius Jacobsen Mey explored the region in 1614, and the Dutch established a trading post nearby. The English later claimed the area, and in 1665, Englishman Thomas Canby received a land grant for what would become Cape May. The city was ultimately named for the Dutch captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey.
Cape May grew slowly during the colonial period, primarily as a fishing and trading outpost. The town was officially incorporated in 1703 and became a popular destination for travelers seeking relief from the summer heat in Philadelphia and other nearby cities.
Cape May County was formally created on November 12, 1692 by an Act of the General Assembly of the Province of West New Jersey. With the construction of the seawall/promenade to replace the boardwalk and the opening of the ferry service to Delaware in 1964, Cape May was poised and ready to shine.
The city’s concentration of more than 600 Victorian-style houses remains a major attraction. Cape May may be best known for its grand Victorian houses such as the Emlen Physick Estate, now a museum with a preserved interior from the era. Another, is the George Allen House, otherwise known as the Southern Mansion which is currently a bed & breakfast.
Shops and restaurants line the Washington Street Mall, three pedestrianized blocks of Washington Street. The Cape May Lighthouse provides views across the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Cape May has welcomed visitors for generations with its hospitality and Victorian charm.
By 1834, there were six boarding houses and Cape Island began to attract the elite of New York, Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia. Hotel size increased in ensuing years - the New Atlantic, built in 1842, could accommodate 300 guests.
Music pavilions and ballrooms blossomed. A two week stay by Henry Clay, in 1847, reinforced Cape Island’s position as the major seaside retreat in the country, and so began its reign as the Queen of the Seaside Resorts. Ever since then, Cape May has been recognized as the oldest seaside resort in America.
Cape May boasts highly rated beaches, fine dining, lodging and shopping, and is even a top worldwide destination for bird-watching. The entire city of Cape May is designated the Cape May Historic District, a National Historic Landmark due to its concentration of Victorian buildings. US News And World Report recently named Cape May as one of the top 25 "Best small towns to visit in the USA".