Elegant remnants of the Victorian era grace almost every corner of Cape May. Wealthy locals built opulent homes like the Emlen Physick Estate and the George Allen House, while grand hotels like Congress Hall and the Chalfonte welcomed visitors from around the country. Even presidents came for the healthful sea air and distinguished venues. Yet the gaieties of these well-heeled patrons were shadowed by strictly defined social roles. Men and women--upper class, as well as cooks and servants--had vastly different experiences in this resort town. Local historian Robert Heinly explores all aspects of this world. Peer into the upstairs and downstairs of these majestic homes to discover what life was like in Victorian Cape May.

Elegant remnants of the Victorian era grace almost every corner of Cape May. Wealthy locals built opulent homes like the Emlen Physick Estate and the George Allen House, while grand hotels like Congress Hall and the Chalfonte welcomed visitors from around the country. Even presidents came for the healthful sea air and distinguished venues. Yet the gaieties of these well-heeled patrons were shadowed by strictly defined social roles. Men and women--upper class, as well as cooks and servants--had vastly different experiences in this resort town. Local historian Robert Heinly explores all aspects of this world. Peer into the upstairs and downstairs of these majestic homes to discover what life was like in Victorian Cape May.

While the Jersey Shore is known as a destination where salt water taffy and frozen custard were born, Miss America was crowned and The Twist was invented, there's even more to the Shore just waiting to be discovered. With 100 Things to Do at the Jersey Shore Before You Die as your guide, you'll find the best places to thrill, eat, fish, party and swim on the 130 miles of the New Jersey shoreline from the Sandy Hook Lighthouse to Cape May Point. Climb inside a giant elephant, stroll the world's most famous Boardwalk and observe a vast migration at North America's number one birding destination. Admire the Painted Ladies mansions and discover the town chosen by seven U.S. Presidents as the Nation's Summer Capital. Learn about fun ideas for your family on rainy days, find free beaches (and parking), and choose the hottest nightclubs. Beyond the summer, this guide helps you enjoy the Shore year-round. Discover fall foliage at historic battlefields; take a brisk walk in the winter with a llama or hear the hottest rock bands at the legendary Stone Pony. Local author and Shore expert R.C. Staab deftly leads you through top tips and itineraries, whether you've spent many summers at the Jersey Shore or are looking for your next beach vacation. His book will help you dive deeper into Shore life and enhance your trip.

Brilliant photos of 1870s, 1880s, showing finest domestic, public architecture; many buildings now gone. 120 plates.

Cape May began as Cape May Island, where families journeyed to enjoy wide white beaches and gentle surf during the early nineteenth century. With the advent of steamships and railroads, the quiet village soon became America's first seaside resort town. Despite its charm and elegance, visitors slowed in the 1880s, as a series of mysterious fires claimed some of its most beloved structures. As the twentieth century dawned, Cape May's failure to modernize ultimately became its salvation. By the 1960s, visitors were once again flocking to this seaside destination to enjoy its quaint Victorian charm. Experience the elegant Chalfonte Hotel, stately Congress Hall and the classic Cape May Boardwalk with local historian Emil Salvini.