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''This article is about the city of Cape May. For the cape after which it is named, see Cape May, for the peninsula, see Cape May Peninsula, and for other uses, see Cape May (disambiguation).

Cape May, is a town at the tip of the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey with a population of 4,034 year-round residents (as of the United States 2000 Census) that is located at the southern tip of New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Cape May is also home to approximately 100,000 seasonal residents. The town's history dates back to its founding in 1620 by a Dutch captain named Cornelius Jacobsen Mey.

In the summer, partly due to its beaches and partly due to its historic buildings, Cape May is a seaside resort that draws visitors from Philadelphia, New York City and other surrounding areas. Cape May claims to be the oldest seaside resort in the United States (The city's official motto is "The Nation's Oldest Seashore Resort"); it first became popular in the 18th century and was considered one of the finest resorts in America by the 19th century. It is noted for its large number of well-maintained Victorian houses — the second largest collection of Victorian-era homes in the nation after San Francisco. In 1976, it was officially designated a National Historic Landmark city. That designation is intended to ensure the architectural preservation of these buildings.

The Cape May area is also a world-famous location for the observation of migrating birds in autumn. Cape May Bird Observatory is based nearby at Cape May Point.

Geography

Cape May is located at (38.936814, -74.911094).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 km² (2.8 mi²). 6.4 km² (2.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (11.43%) is water.

Cape May borders West Cape May Borough, Lower Township, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Delaware Bay. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry provides transportation across the Delaware Bay to Lewes, Delaware.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,034 people, 1,821 households, and 1,034 families residing in the city. The population density was 628.0/km² (1,623.7/mi²). There were 4,064 housing units at an average density of 632.7/km² (1,635.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.32% White, 5.26% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.79% of the population.

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.

Government

Local government

Effective July 1, 2004, the City of Cape May operates under the Council-Manager form of government under the Faulkner Act. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the council-manager plan is in use by 41 municipalities covering 11.5% of New Jersey's total population.

A municipality operating under a council-manager plan is governed by a municipal council which is elected at large and chaired by the mayor. The Council, in the council-manager plan, exercises the legislative power of the municipality.

Non-partisan elections are held in May with the winner of a contest determined by plurality rule meaning that candidates with the greatest number of votes win. Cape May voters directly elect the Mayor. The person elected serves a four-year term. The mayor, in the council-manager plan, is a member of the council. The mayor presides over the council and has a vote, but no administrative authority.

There are four members of Council, in addition to the Mayor. Their terms are staggered, where the members of the first council draw lots to determine who serves a four year term. The remaining three will serve a two year term. Subsequently, all councilmen elected serve for four years.

The city manager exercises all the executive power of the municipality. It is the duty of the manager to see that all laws and ordinances, in effect in the municipality, are observed. The council appoints the municipal clerk, the municipal attorney, the tax assessor, the tax collector, the treasurer, and such other boards and commissions as may be provided by the administrative code. The manager appoints all other officers and employees of the municipality, and all other employees if no other method of appointment is provided in the code, or by general law.

Members of the Cape May City Council are Mayor Jerome E. Inderwies (term expires June 30, 2008), Deputy Mayor Niels S. Favre (2006), David L. Brown (2006), David S. Craig (2008) and William G. Gaffney (2006).

Federal, state and county representation

Cape May is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District.

Education

The Cape May City Elementary School serves 193 students in Prekindergarten through sixth grade. Students from Cape May Point attend the school as part of a sending / receiving relationship.

For grades 7 - 12, students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point, who attend as part of a sending / receiving relationship. Schools in the district are Richard M. Teitelman School (grades 7 and 8) and Lower Cape May Regional High School (grades 9-12) *. Both schools are located in Lower Township.

The Cape May Branch of the Cape May County Public Library is located in Cape May City.

Economy

Tourism is the dominant industry, while commercial and sport fishing are also important to Cape May's economy. A small wine growing area is adjacent to Cape May, and tourists to Cape May visit local wineries. Cape May's various confectioners' shops draw many Germans during the summer to seek work for the season.

Culture

Cape May has become known both for its Victorian 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.

As is the case in many other resort towns on the shore, there is a noticeable presence of beach bum culture during the summer.

Cape May is known traditionally as the home of the so-called 'Cape May Diamonds'. They 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 colour 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.

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 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 United States Navy 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.

In 1948, all entry level training on the east coast was moved to the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Receiving Station in Cape May. The Coast Guard consolidated all recruit training functions in Cape May in 1982. Currently over 350 military and civilian personnel and their dependents are attached to Training Center Cape May.

Cultural references

Cape May is the subject of the song On the Way to Cape May, originally sung by Cozy Morley.

See also

External links

Cape May County, New Jersey | Cities in New Jersey | Faulkner Act | National Historic Landmarks of the United States

Cape May | Cape May, New Jersey

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Cape May, New Jersey".

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