Cape May (sometimes Cape May City) is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

and

seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...

located at the southern tip of

Cape May Peninsula Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The so ...

Cape May County Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Much of the county is located on the Cape May peninsula, bound by the Delaware Bay to its west and the Atlantic Ocean to its south and east. Adjacent to the Atlantic ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. Located on the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

near the mouth of the

Delaware Bay Delaware Bay is the estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the northeast seaboard of the United States, lying between the states of Delaware and New Jersey. It is approximately in area, the bay's freshwater mixes for many miles with the saltw ...

, it is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. The city, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

- Wilmington- Camden, PA-NJ- DE- MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area. It is the southernmost municipality in New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's resident population was 2,768, a decrease of 839 (−23.3%) from the 2010 census count of 3,607, which in turn reflected a decline of 427 (−10.6%) from the 4,034 counted in the 2000 census. In the summer, Cape May's population is expanded by as many as 40,000 to 50,000 visitors. The entire city of Cape May is designated the Cape May Historic District, a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

due to its concentration of

Victorian architecture Victorian architecture is a series of Revivalism (architecture), architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. ''Victorian'' refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the st ...

. In 2008, Cape May was recognized as one of the top 10 beaches in the United States by the

Travel Channel Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...

. It is part of the

South Jersey South Jersey, also known as Southern New Jersey, comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located between Pennsylvania and the lower Delaware River to its west, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Delaware to its south, ...

region of the state.

History

17th and 18th centuries

The area was originally settled by the Kechemeche

Native American tribe In the United States, an American Indian tribe, Native American tribe, Alaska Native village, Indigenous tribe, or Tribal nation may be any current or historical Tribe (Native American)#Other uses, tribe, band, or nation of Native Americans in ...

, who were part of the

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

tribe. The Kechemeche first encountered European colonialists around 1600. The city was named for the

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, who explored and charted the area between 1611–1614 and established a claim for the province of

New Netherland New Netherland () was a colony of the Dutch Republic located on the East Coast of what is now the United States. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod. Settlements were established in what became the states ...

. It was later settled by

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

ers from the

New Haven Colony New Haven Colony was an English colony from 1638 to 1664 that included settlements on the north shore of Long Island Sound, with outposts in modern-day New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The colony joined Connecticut Colony in 16 ...

. Cape May began hosting vacationers from

in the mid-18th century and is recognized as the country's oldest

. Staff
"Life Style; Old Resort Draws New Clientele: Honeymooners"
, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', July 23, 1989. Accessed July 4, 2011. "At one time, Cape May was known as the serene Victorian getaway of four Presidents and scores of wealthy New York and Philadelphia industrialists. But recently, Cape May, the nation's oldest seaside resort, has begun to attract a new breed of beachgoer.... Innkeepers here say Cape May's 19th-century ambiance and views of the Atlantic Ocean are the main reasons this sleepy city of 5,000 (50,000 in the summer) has become popular for weddings and honeymoons."

19th century

Following the construction of

Congress Hall Congress Hall, located in Philadelphia at the intersection of Chestnut and 6th Streets, served as the seat of the United States Congress from December 6, 1790, to May 14, 1800. During Congress Hall's duration as the capitol of the United State ...

in 1816, Cape May became increasingly popular in the 19th century and was considered one of the finest resorts in America by the 20th century. What is now Cape May was formed as the

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

of Cape Island by the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on March 8, 1848, from portions of

Lower Township Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia- Wilmington- Camden, PA-NJ- D ...

. It was reincorporated as Cape Island City on March 10, 1851, and was renamed Cape May City on March 9, 1869.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 113. Accessed April 20, 2012. Tourism to the city was boosted in 1863 with the opening of the Tuckahoe and Cape May Railroad. The city suffered devastating fires in 1869 and 1878. In the early hours of August 31, 1869, a fire broke out in the Japanese store on Washington Street. The fire destroyed the post office and at least thirty-five other buildings. Press reports at the time did not mention any deaths. In 1878, a five-day-long fire destroyed 30 blocks of the town center. Replacement homes were almost uniformly of Victorian style, and more recent protectionist efforts have left Cape May with many famously well-maintained

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

houses—the second largest collection of such homes in the nation after San Francisco.

20th century

Because of the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

submarine threat off the

East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coast, coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always pla ...

, especially off the shore of Cape May and at the mouth of the

, numerous

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

facilities were located here in order to protect American coastal shipping. Cape May Naval facilities, listed below, provided significant help in reducing the number of ships and crew members lost at sea. * Naval Air Station, Cape May * Naval Base, Cape May * Inshore Patrol, Cape May * Naval Annex, Inshore Patrol, Cape May * Joint Operations Office, Naval Base, Cape May * Welfare and Recreation Office, Cape May * Dispensary, Naval Air Station, Cape May * Naval Frontier Base, Cape May * Degaussing Range (Cold Spring Inlet), Naval Base, Cape May * Joint Operations Office, Commander Delaware Group, ESF, Cape May * Anti-Submarine Attack Teacher Training Unit, U.S. Naval Base, Cape May * Naval Annex, Admiral Hotel, Cape May In 1976, Cape May was designated a

as the Cape May Historic District, making Cape May the only city in the U.S. to be wholly designated as a national historic district. That designation is intended to ensure the architectural preservation of these buildings.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, Cape May had a total area of 2.90 square miles (7.50 km²), including 2.47 square miles (6.41 km²) of land and 0.42 square miles (1.10 km²) of water (14.59%). Cape May is generally low-lying; its highest point, at the intersection of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

and Jackson Streets, is above sea level.

Unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Poverty Beach. Cape May borders the Cape May County municipalities of

and West Cape May Borough and the

. The

Cape May–Lewes Ferry The Cape May–Lewes Ferry is a ferry system on the East Coast of the United States that traverses a crossing of the Delaware Bay connecting North Cape May, New Jersey with Lewes, Delaware. The ferry constitutes a portion of U.S. Route 9 and ...

provides transportation across the Delaware Bay between

North Cape May, New Jersey North Cape May is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Lower Township in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 United ...

, and

Lewes, Delaware Lewes ( ) is an incorporated city on the Delaware Bay in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2020 census, its population was 3,303. Along with neighboring Rehoboth Beach, Lewes is one of the principal cities of Del ...

. Cape May Harbor, which borders Lower Township and nearby Wildwood Crest allows fishing vessels to enter from the Atlantic Ocean, was created as of 1911, after years of dredging completed the harbor which covers . Cape May Harbor Fest celebrates life in and around the harbor, with the 2011 event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the harbor's creation. Cape May is the southernmost point in New Jersey. It is at approximately the same latitude as

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and

Arlington County, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Virginia. The county is located in Northern Virginia on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from Washington, D.C., the nati ...

, and equidistant to

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Cape May has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(''Cfa'') with hot, humid summers, cool winters and year-round precipitation. Its climate resembles that of its neighbor, the

Delmarva Peninsula The Delmarva Peninsula, or simply Delmarva, is a peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by the majority of the state of Delaware and parts of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Eastern Shore of Virginia. The peninsula is l ...

. During the summer months in Cape May, a cooling afternoon

sea breeze A sea breeze or onshore breeze is a wind that blows in the afternoon from a large body of water toward or onto a landmass. By contrast, a land breeze or offshore breeze is a wind that blows in the night from a landmass toward or onto a large ...

is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with

heat index The heat index (HI) is an index that combines air temperature and relative humidity, in shade (shadow), shaded areas, to posit a human-perceived equivalent temperature, as how hot it would feel if the humidity were some other value in the Shade (s ...

values at or above . During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with

wind chill Wind chill (popularly wind chill factor) is the sensation of cold produced by the wind for a given ambient air temperature on exposed skin as the air motion accelerates the rate of heat transfer from the body to the surrounding atmosphere. Its va ...

values . The

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

of Cape May is 8a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of . The average seasonal snowfall total is around , and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in

nor'easter A nor'easter (also northeaster; see below) is a large-scale extratropical cyclone in the western North Atlantic Ocean. The name derives from the direction of the winds that blow from the northeast. Typically, such storms originate as a low ...

activity.

Ecology

According to the

A. W. Kuchler August William Kuchler (born ''August Wilhelm Küchler''; 26 July 1907 – 17 June 1999) was a German-born American geographer and naturalist who is noted for developing a plant association system that has become widely used in the United Sta ...

U.S.

potential natural vegetation In ecology, potential natural vegetation (PNV), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints (climate, geomorphology, geology) without human intervention or a hazard event ...

types, Cape May would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern

Cordgrass ''Spartina'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, frequently found in coastal salt marshes. Species in this genus are commonly known as cordgrass or cord-grass, and are native to the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean in western and southern Eu ...

(''73'') with a dominant vegetation form of

Coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

Prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

(''20'').U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions)
, Data Basin. Accessed March 18, 2020.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 3,607 people, 1,457 households, and 782 families in the city. The population density was . There were 4,155 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 89.05% (3,212) White (U.S. census), White, 4.85% (175) Black (U.S. census), Black or African American, 0.30% (11) Native American (U.S. census), Native American, 0.67% (24) Asian (U.S. census), Asian, 0.11% (4) Pacific Islander (U.S. census), Pacific Islander, 2.30% (83) from Race and ethnicity in the United States census#Race, other races, and 2.72% (98) from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. census), Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.62% (311) of the population. Of the 1,457 households, 16.3% had children under the age of 18; 44.6% were married couples living together; 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 46.3% were non-families. Of all households, 42.0% were made up of individuals and 27.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.95 and the average family size was 2.64. 12.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 20.6% from 18 to 24, 18.6% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 104.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 107.4 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation adjustment, inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $35,660 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,248) and the median family income was $50,846 (+/− $16,315). Males had a median income of $43,015 (+/− $20,953) versus $31,630 (+/− $22,691) for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,046 (+/− $4,010). About 2.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 4,034 people, 1,821 households, and 1,034 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,064 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.32% White (U.S. Census), White, 5.26% African American (U.S. Census), African American, 0.20% Native American (U.S. Census), Native American, 0.40% Asian (U.S. Census), Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), Pacific Islander, 1.26% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census), Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census), Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Cape May city, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 20, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Cape May city, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 10, 2012. There were 1,821 households, out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.69. In the city, the population was spread out, with 16.3% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,462, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $29,194 versus $25,842 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,902. About 7.7% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Tourism is Cape May's largest industry. The economy runs on the Washington Street Mall and includes shops, restaurants, lodgings, and tourist attractions including the Cape May boardwalk. Many historic hotels and bed and breakfast, B&Bs are located in Cape May, and commercial and sport fishing is a significant component of its economy. Cove Beach, located at Cape May southernmost tip, hosts hundreds of swimmers, sunbathers, surfers, and hikers daily during summer months. Cape May has been a popular resort for French Canadian tourists for several decades.

established a tourism office in Montreal, Quebec, but around 1995 it closed due to budget cuts. By 2010, the tourism office of Cape May County established a French language coupon booklet.

Arts and culture

Cape May has become known both for its

Gingerbread (architecture), gingerbread homes and its cultural offerings. The town hosts the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Cape May Music Festival and the Cape May, New Jersey Film Festival. Cape May Stage, an Equity theater founded in 1988, performs at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse on the corner of Bank and Lafayette Streets. East Lynne Theater Company, an Equity professional company specializing in American classics and world premieres, has its mainstage season from June–December and March, with school residencies throughout the year. Cape May is home to the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), established in 1970 by volunteers who succeeded in saving the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate from demolition. MAC offers a wide variety of tours, activities and events throughout the year for residents and visitors and operates three Cape May area historic sites—the 1879 Emlen Physick Estate, the Cape May Lighthouse and the World War II Lookout Tower. The Center for Community Arts (CCA) offers African American history tours of Cape May, arts programs for young people and is transforming the historic Franklin Street School, constructed in 1928 to house African-American students in a segregated school, into a Community Cultural Center. Cape May is the home of Cape May diamonds, which show up at Sunset Beach and other beaches in the area. These are in fact clear quartz pebbles that wash down from the Delaware River. They begin as prismatic quartz (including the color sub-varieties such as smoky quartz and amethyst) in the quartz veins alongside the Delaware River that get eroded out of the host rock and wash down 200 miles to the shore. Collecting Cape May diamonds is a popular pastime and many tourist shops sell them polished or even as faceted stones. The Cape May area is also world-famous for the observation of bird migration, migrating birds, especially in the fall. With over 400 bird species having been recorded in this area by hundreds of local birders, Cape May is arguably the top bird-watching area in the entire Northeastern United States. The Cape May Warbler, a small songbird, takes it name from this location. The Cape May Bird Observatory is based nearby at Cape May Point, New Jersey, Cape May Point. Cape May is also a destination for marine mammal watching. Several species of whales and dolphins can be seen in the waters of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean, many within of land, due to the confluence of fresh and saltwater that make for a nutrient rich area for marine life. Whale and dolphin watching cruises are a year-round attraction in Cape May, part of an ecotourism / agritourism industry that generated $450 million in revenue in the county, the most of any in the state. The Harriet Tubman Museum in downtown Cape May features the life and work of Harriet Tubman, an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist and social activist.About
Harriet Tubman Museum. Accessed June 20, 2023. "Harriet Tubman lived in Cape May in the early 1850s, working to help fund her missions to guide enslaved people to freedom."

Fisherman's Memorial

Cape May Fisherman's Memorial, located at Baltimore and Missouri Avenues, was built in 1988. It features a circular plaza reminiscent of a giant compass, a granite statue of a mother and two small children looking out to Harbor Cove, and a granite monument listing the names of 75 local fishermen who died at sea. The names begin with Andrew Jeffers, who died in 1893, and include the six people who died in March 2009 with the sinking of the scalloping boat ''Lady Mary''. The granite statue was designed by Heather Baird with Jerry Lynch. The memorial is maintained by the City of Cape May and administered by the Friends of the Cape May Fisherman's Memorial. Visitors often leave a stone or seashell on the statue's base in tribute to the fishermen.

Government

Local government

Effective July 1, 2004, Cape May switched to a Faulkner Act (council–manager), Council-Manager form of government under the Faulkner Act, after having used Plan A of the Faulkner Act Faulkner Act (small municipality), Small Municipality form since 1995. The city is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the four-member City Council, with all positions elected at-large to four-year terms of office on a non-partisan democracy, non-partisan basis as part of the November general election in even-numbered years. The Mayor is elected direct election, directly by the voters. The Borough Council is elected to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats coming up for election together and then the mayor and the fourth council seat up for vote together two years later. Following the 2004 elections, the first under the new form of government, lots were drawn to determine which of the newly elected members would serve a four-year term, with the other three serving two-year terms. A city manager is responsible for the city's executive functions, managing Cape May's activities and operation.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8. Voters approved a November 2010 referendum to shift the city's elections from May to November, with city officials estimating that the change would save $30,000 in costs that had been associated with each May election. In March 2015, Councilman Jerry Inderwies Jr. resigned to protest what he called a "witch hunt" against the police chief. In the November 2015 general election, Roger Furlin was elected to fill the balance of the council seat vacated by Inderwies. In January 2021, the city council selected Lorraine Baldwin to fill the council seat expiring in 2022 that had been held by Zachary Mullock until he resigned to take office as mayor. Baldwin served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when voters chose her to serve the balance of the term of office. Also in January 2021, Michael Voll was appointed to City Manager. In November 2021, the city council appointed Michael Yeager to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had bene held by Christopher Bezaire until he resigned after pleading guilty earlier that month to charges that he had engaged in stalking an ex-girlfriend and that he had been in contempt of court. , the Mayor of Cape May City is Zachary Mullock, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Other members of the Cape May City Council are Deputy Mayor Lorraine M. Baldwin (2026), Maureen K. McDade (2026), Shaine P. Meier (2026) and Michael Yeager (2024; elected to fill an unexpired term).Mayor & Council
City of Cape May. Accessed July 9, 2023.2023 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2023
Cape May County, New Jersey, August 3, 2023. Accessed August 23, 2023.Summary Results Report 2022 November Cape May General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results
Cape May County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.2021 General Election Successful Candidates
Cape May County, New Jersey, updated November 16, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.2020 General Election Successful Candidates
Cape May County, New Jersey, updated December 4, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.

Federal, state, and county representation

Cape May City is located in the 2nd Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,932 registered voters in Cape May City, of which 452 (23.4%) were registered as Democratic Party (United States), Democrats, 838 (43.4%) were registered as Republican Party (United States), Republicans and 640 (33.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated (New Jersey), Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarians or Green Party (United States), Greens. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012, 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 52.2% of the vote (745 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 46.9% (669 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (13 votes), among the 1,442 ballots cast by the city's 1,925 registered voters (15 ballots were Spoilt vote, spoiled), for a turnout of 74.9%. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008, 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 50.9% of the vote (817 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 46.4% (745 votes), with 1,605 ballots cast among the city's 1,940 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.7%. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004, 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 53.8% of the vote (942 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 44.0% (771 votes), with 1,752 ballots cast among the city's 2,276 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.0. In the New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013, 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.9% of the vote (737 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.8% (261 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (13 votes), among the 1,036 ballots cast by the city's 1,902 registered voters (25 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.5%. In the New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009, 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 52.1% of the vote (608 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 39.1% (457 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.8% (80 votes), with 1,168 ballots cast among the city's 2,069 registered voters, yielding a 56.5% turnout.

Infrastructure

Cape May established a desalinization plant in the late 1990s to manage salt going into its water aquifers. Cape May's current sewage plant in 1960 or 1961, less than a year after the New Jersey Attorney General's deadline for Cape May Point to have a sewage plant, as it had previously dumped sewage in the

; the New Jersey Department of Health had warned the borough about this in 1951. Despite the borough missing the deadline, the state never fined the borough as the Attorney General removed his judgment.

Education

For pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, public school students attend Cape May City Elementary School as part of the Cape May City School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school with an enrollment of 169 students and 22.6 classroom teachers (on an full-time equivalent, FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.5:1.District information for Cape May City School District
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022. Also attending are students from Cape May Point, New Jersey, Cape May Point, a non-operating district, as part of a sending/receiving relationship, with most students in the district coming from the United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. For seventh grade, seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May City, Cape May Point,

and West Cape May, New Jersey, West Cape May. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Richard M. Teitelman Middle School with 439 students in grades 7-8 and Lower Cape May Regional High School (LCMRHS) with 764 students in grades 9–12. In the 2011–12 school year, the city of Cape May paid $6 million in property taxes to cover the district's 120 high school students, an average of $50,000 per student attending the Lower Cape May district. Cape May officials have argued that the district's funding formula based on assessed property values unfairly penalizes Cape May, which has higher property values and a smaller number of high school students as a percentage of the population than the other constituent districts, especially Lower Township. The high school district's board of education has nine members, who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year Seats on the board are allocated based on population, with Cape May City assigned one seat. Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents. Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area. The nearest private Catholic school serving Cape May is Wildwood Catholic Academy (Pre-K12) in North Wildwood, New Jersey, North Wildwood, under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Colleges and universities in the Cape May area include Atlantic Cape Community College, Rutgers University–Camden, and the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences. The Cape May Branch of the Cape May County Public Library is located in Cape May City. The library was previously in city hall but later moved to a standalone building. In 2009 an estimated $507,800 renovation was to take place with $395,300, or about 78% of the expenses, paid by Cape May County. In 2024 it moved from a previous location to the renovated Franklin Street School. A task force convened by Cape May City Council stated that the former library on Ocean Street should be used as a community center.

History of education

According to an 1868 article in ''The Inkwell'' by William Lycett, historically Cape May had a school known as the "Indian Queen.", until another school opened in 1868. He also stated that his father operated a private educational institution. The first Cape May High School, built in 1901, was designed by Seymour Davis and built for $35,000. In 1917 a new Cape May High School facility was built, with the 1901 building becoming an elementary school. In the past Cape May elementary schools were educational segregation in the United States, segregated on the basis of race; churches and households initially educated black children. From 1928 to 1948, black elementary school students attended Franklin Street School. Cape May High School educated students of all races. Cape May High closed effective December 22, 1960, and LCMRHS opened in 1961. the first Cape May High School building was demolished, and was replaced with an Acme Markets location that occupied the site starting in the 1970s. The second Cape May High School building has since become the city hall and police station. Cape May previously had its own Catholic K–8 school, Our Lady Star of the Sea School, which served as the parish school for Our Lady Star of the Sea, St. John of God (North Cape May) and St. Raymond (Villas, New Jersey, Villas) churches. The St. Raymond School closed in 2007 with students sent to Our Lady Star of the Sea. In 2010 Our Lady Star of the Sea merged into Cape Trinity Regional School (Pre-K–8) in North Wildwood. - The author was the principal of Our Lady Star of the Sea Regional School. That school in turn merged into Wildwood Catholic Academy in 2020. Starting in 2010, discussions were under way regarding a possible consolidation of the districts of Cape May City, Cape May Point and the West Cape May Elementary School, West Cape May School District. The Franklin Street School opened as the current library due to a renovation worth $11,000,000. About one and one half years was the duration of the project completion. The opening ceremony involved a chain of people moving books between the old and new libraries with their hands.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Cape May County. New Jersey Route 109, Route 109 leads into Cape May from the north and provides access to the southern terminus of the Garden State Parkway along with U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey, U.S. Route 9 in neighboring Lower Township. U.S. Route 9 leads to the

, which heads across the

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides service to

on the 313 (New Jersey bus), 313 and 315 (New Jersey bus), 315 routes and to Atlantic City, New Jersey, Atlantic City on the 552 (New Jersey bus), 552 route, with seasonal service to Philadelphia on the 316 (New Jersey bus), 316 route and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 319 (New Jersey bus), 319 route. The Great American Trolley Company operates trolley service in Cape May daily during the summer months, running along a loop route through the city. The city is served by rail from the Cape May City Rail Terminal, offering excursion train service on the Cape May Seashore Lines from the terminal located at the intersection of Lafayette Street and Elmira Street. The city last had regional passenger train service by the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in the mid-1960s. Final service into Camden, New Jersey (across the Delaware River from

) ended in January 1966, while service to Lindenwold station ended in October 1981.

Ferry transport

The Delaware River and Bay Authority operates the Cape May-Lewes Ferry year-round, a 70-85 minute across

, carrying passengers and cars. The ferry constitutes a portion of U.S. Route 9. The Delaware River and Bay Authority operates a shuttle bus in the summer months which connects the Cape May Welcome Center with the Cape May–Lewes Ferry terminal.

Media

Cape May is served by several media outlets including WCFA-LP, WCFA-LP 101.5 FM, a commercial-free jazz and community station, the weekly ''Cape May Star and Wave'', two free weekly newspapers, ''The Cape May Gazette'' and ''Exit Zero'', and local websites CapeMay.com and ''Cape May Times''. The countywide newspaper is ''Cape May County Herald''. The regional newspapers for the area including Cape May County are the ''Press of Atlantic City'', and the ''Philadelphia Inquirer''. The name Exit Zero refers to the town's location at the far southern end of the Garden State Parkway near the intersection with New Jersey Route 109, Route 109. Informally, the entire town is sometimes called Exit Zero.

Coast Guard Training Center Cape May

The United States Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, New Jersey is the nation's only Coast Guard Recruit Training Center. In 1924, the U.S. Coast Guard occupied the base and established air facilities for planes used in support of United States Customs Service efforts. During the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Prohibition era, several cutters were assigned to Cape May to foil rumrunners operating off the New Jersey coast. After Prohibition, the Coast Guard all but abandoned Cape May leaving a small air/sea rescue contingent. For a short period of time (1929–1934), part of the base was used as a civilian airport. With the advent of World War II, a larger airstrip was constructed and the

returned to train aircraft carrier pilots. The over the water approach simulated carrier landings at sea. The Coast Guard also increased its Cape May forces for coastal patrol, anti-submarine warfare, air/sea rescue and buoy service. In 1946, the Navy relinquished the base to the Coast Guard. The Cape May Airport still houses the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum. In 1948, all entry-level training on the East Coast of the United States, U.S. East Coast was moved to the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Receiving Station in Cape May. The United States Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard consolidated all recruit training functions in Cape May in 1982. Over 350 military and civilian personnel and their dependents are attached to the Cape May Training Center.

In popular culture

* Cape May is the subject of the song "On the Way to Cape May", originally sung by Cozy Morley. * The 1980s horror film ''The Prowler (1981 film), The Prowler'' was filmed entirely on location in Cape May. * The town lends its name to the Cape May Cafe, a restaurant in the Disney's Beach Club Resort, Beach Club Resort at Walt Disney World Resort, Walt Disney World. * In ''The Blacklist'', Cape May is the setting in the episode "Cape May". * Scenes for the film ''A Complete Unknown'', a biopic about Bob Dylan featuring Timothée Chalamet, were filmed in Cape May in the spring of 2024. Cape May served as a suitable location to mimic Newport, Rhode Island and the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, where Dylan first performed in public with an electric guitar. Minimal redress was needed, given the resort's commitment to its designation as a National Historic Landmark, with its concentration of Victorian architecture as well as other 19th and 20th century architectural motifs.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Cape May include: * Douglas Adams (cricketer), Douglas Adams (1876–1931), cricketer, who played for the Gentlemen of Philadelphia in First class cricket * Cliff Anderson (American football), Cliff Anderson (1929–1979), football player who played two seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants * Nan Brooks (1935–2018), children's book illustrator * Thomas Cannuli, professional poker player, known for finishing 6th place in the 2015 World Series of Poker, 2015 WSOP Main Event and winning a WSOP bracelet in the 2017 World Series of Poker results#Event 61, $3,333 WSOP.com Online No-Limit Hold'em High Roller * Frederick B. Dent (1922–2019), politician who served as the United States Secretary of Commerce from 1973 to 1975 * Eugene Grace (1876–1960), president of Bethlehem Steel Corporation from 1916 to 1945 * Bubba Green (born 1957), football player who played defensive lineman for one season for the History of the Baltimore Colts, Baltimore Colts * T. Millet Hand (1902–1956), politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives and served as mayor of Cape May * Thomas H. Hughes (1769–1839), the founder and owner of the Congress Hall (Cape May hotel), Congress Hall Hotel, and a Democratic-Republican member of the United States congressional delegations from New Jersey, United States House of Representatives from

* Chris Jay (born 1978), musician, actor and screenwriter. Founding member of the band, Army of Freshmen * Alan Kotok (1941–2006), computer scientist known for his work at Digital Equipment Corporation and at the World Wide Web Consortium * John Henry Kurtz (1945–2008), singer-songwriter and actor best known for performing the song "Drift Away" * John D. Lankenau (1817–1901), German-American businessman and philanthropist * Jarena Lee (1783–1864), the first woman authorized to preach by Richard Allen (bishop), Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1819 * Anthony Maher (soccer), Anthony Maher (born 1979), professional soccer forward * Myles Martel (born 1943), communication adviser * Sylvius Moore (1912–2004), football player and coach who was head coach of the Hampton Pirates football team * Richie Phillips (1940–2013), sports union leader * Bill Pilczuk (born 1971), competitive swimmer * Louis Purnell (1920–2001), curator at the National Air and Space Museum and earlier in life, a decorated Tuskegee Airman * Emil Salvini (born 1949), author, historian and host / creator of PBS's ''Tales of the Jersey Shore'' * Charles W. Sandman Jr. (1921–1985), politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district and was the party's candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1973 * I. Grant Scott (1897–1964), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly, the New Jersey Senate and as Mayor of Cape May * Barbara Lee Smith (born 1938), mixed media artist, writer, educator and curator * Witmer Stone (1866–1939), ornithology, ornithologist who did much of his research in Cape May * Julius H. Taylor (1914–2011), professor emeritus at Morgan State University who was chairperson of the department of physics. * Harriet Tubman (1822–1913), abolitionist and social activist who, after escaping slavery, made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people; she is honored with Harriet Tubman Museum, a museum in the city * Paul Volcker (1927–2019), former chairman of the United States Federal Reserve who was born here while his father was the Cape May city manager * John B. Walthour (1904–1952), 4th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta"The Rt. Rev. John Buchman Walthour Bishop of Atlanta 1951"
Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 28, 2007. Accessed November 22, 2016. "John Buchman Walthour was forty eight when he was elected the fourth Bishop of Atlanta. He was born August 24, 1904 in Cape May, New Jersey, to Harry Clayton and Helen Millward Walthour."

References

External links

Cape May City official website

Cape May New Jersey Information, Directions and History
{{Authority control Cape May, New Jersey, 1848 establishments in New Jersey Cities in New Jersey Cities in Cape May County, New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Jersey Shore communities in Cape May County Populated places established in 1848 Articles containing video clips Port cities and towns in New Jersey

History

17th and 18th centuries

19th century

20th century

Geography

Climate

Ecology

Demographics

2010 census

2000 census

Economy

Arts and culture

Fisherman's Memorial

Government

Local government

Federal, state, and county representation

Politics

Infrastructure

Education

History of education

Transportation

Roads and highways

Public transportation

Ferry transport

Media

Coast Guard Training Center Cape May

In popular culture

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

External links