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Washington Street Mall through the years
Three staples of Cape May are picturesque beaches, preserved Victoriana, and the very walkable Washington Street Mall.
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The Corinthian Yacht Club
The Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May was founded only two years prior to the oldest card in this batch being sent out. Located on Cape May’s harbor since 1913, countless members and sailors have enjoyed all the club has to offer. There are many subjects among these cards: requesting […]
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Staying at The Windsor Hotel
The Windsor Hotel was built in 1879 and earned a reputation as the “Queen of the Cape May hotels,” because of its quintessential Cape May look. Most of these cards are stamped from over a century ago, when the establishment was very active. This queen had been visited by Hollywood […]
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The Chalfonte Hotel
The charming Chalfonte Hotel dates back to 1876, when Colonel Henry Sawyer, a war hero who escaped imprisonment and execution, paired his vigor and passion with a second chance at life and new beginnings to build what is recognized today as the oldest hotel in Cape May. The word “old” […]
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Mail for the Millers
Correspondence via postcards sent to Sandy and Orville Miller from different members of their family, including her brother Bob and sister-in-law Marta, were kept safe by Sandy in her comprehensive collection of historic Cape May postcards. Coincidentally, the first three cards came annually in the month of August, all featured […]
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Come Sail Away
Exploring Cape May’s open seas is always an exquisite sight, from broad daylight to sunset to midnight, as illustrated on the following cards. Many floating vessels have cruised across Cape May’s waters, by methods like luxurious yachting, a humble pleasure boat hobby, shipping, fishing, and more. Regardless of the objective, […]
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Beach Babes
Victorian beach garb is a historic element that can easily date a photograph like the ones presented on these postcards. The distinctive summertime attire from the early 1900s prioritized preserving modesty, contrasting with today’s less conservative standards. What were the ladies to do at the beach if they were not […]
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Dear Ma
Every postcard tells a story—to notify family that one has arrived at their destination safely, share an anecdote about their trip, and even just to keep in touch. We have four postcards sent between members of the Lloyd family from 1905 to 1908, offering enough detail to make us curious […]
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Leaping into the Past
As we enter another leap year in 2024, according to Irish folklore, we ladies are encouraged to pursue a man with urgency and integrity! This anachronic tradition on Leap Day known as “Bachelor’s Day” originally allowed for women to propose to men during a time with much stricter patriarchal social […]
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Sent Abroad
The City of Cape May’s reach is greater than we think. This quaint island just short of three square miles was assumed to be a secret treasure during decades of exiguous travel access. These postcards, however, reveal a more global reach and may have gone where the senders never had. […]
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Cool Cape May
“Enjoying the cool ocean breeze and salt water – has a definite relaxing effect” wrote Peggy in 1961. Every year people come to Cape May to cool off and they’ve been doing it for generations. The moniker “Cool Cape May” dates back over 100 years into the town’s history. It […]
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For the Ocean
Cape May has plenty of allure, and much of it has been curated by local shop owners, bed and breakfasts, careful caretakers of historic structures, restaurateurs and more. But its foundational attraction is the great blue salty expanse that hugs the island, drawing people to Cape May for stunning natural […]
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Lovingly, Anna
The year was 1907. Anna visited the quaint seaside town of Cape May, presumably not from too far away considering the lack of access back then. To set the stage a bit, horse-drawn carriages were still parading up and down dirt roads like the ones displayed in the pictures, when […]
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Pray Before You Play
These vacationers carved out time for the Lord during their stay. Cape May has a few holy places to choose from for various religious denominations. Each local church holds historic value, like the Brick Church featured on the first card, which has been in operation for over 300 years at […]
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A “Sinful” Love of Cape May
February has a reputation for romance, so for this issue the following vintage postcards were selected to display that both people and places can be loved. Cape May has held a special place in the hearts of visitors for decades, and these mementos bear the imprint of their distinct and […]
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Long Live the Christian Admiral
The expression “nothing lasts forever” could dim the light in a room full of things that we wouldn’t want to live without. But it’s true; things decay, even the things we love. The people of Cape May seem to have had a quite personal attachment to the colossal Christian Admiral. […]
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Struck by Bad Luck
Post Cards from Cape May’s Past The experiences described in postcards from past visitors usually dance between eat, sun, swim, and sleep—normal vacation stuff. We’ve sifted through the stories from plenty of family vacations that sound downright delightful. The few exceptions we’ve come across include cases of the flu, missing […]
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Short Tales by August Visitors Long Ago
Each of these postcards features a picture of different historic Cape May structures. Of the four pictured, two are no longer standing on our beachfront. The Hotel Stockton was torn down only two years after this postcard was sent. The Admiral Hotel had a much longer journey until its demolition […]
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Fire at the Iron Pier
These two post cards were rescued from the fire that destroyed Cape May’s iron pier and lived to tell the tale.