Misplaced Pages

Cape May County
County
Sunset on Sunset Beach in Lower Township in May 2009
FlagSeal
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°05′N 74°52′W / 39.08°N 74.86°W / 39.08; -74.86
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
Founded	1685
Named for	Cornelius Jacobsen Mey
Seat	Cape May Court House
Largest municipality	Lower Township (population) Middle Township (area)
Government
• Commission Director	Leonard C. Desiderio (R, term ends December 31, 2024)
Area
• Total	620.31 sq mi (1,606.6 km)
• Land	251.52 sq mi (651.4 km)
• Water	368.79 sq mi (955.2 km)  59.5%
Population
• Total	95,263
• Estimate	94,610
• Density	150/sq mi (59/km)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	capemaycountynj.gov

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 coastline are five barrier islands that have been built up as seaside resorts. A consistently popular summer destination with 30 miles (48 km) of beaches, Cape May County attracts vacationers from New Jersey and surrounding states, with the summer population exceeding 750,000. Tourism generates annual revenues of about $6.6 billion as of 2018, making it the county's single largest industry. The associated leisure and hospitality industries are Cape May's largest employers. Its county seat is the Cape May Court House section of Middle Township. The county is part of both the Jersey Shore and South Jersey regions of the state.

As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's second-least populous county, with a population of 95,263, a decrease of 2,002 (−2.1%) from the 2010 census count of 97,265, which in turn reflected a decline of 5,061 (-4.9%) from the 102,326 counted in the 2000 census. The county is part of the Ocean City, NJ metropolitan statistical area and the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley.

Before Cape May County was settled by Europeans, the Kechemeche tribe of the Lenape Native Americans inhabited South Jersey. Beginning in 1609, European explorers purchased land from, and contributed to the decline of, the indigenous people. The county was named for Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, a Dutch captain who explored and charted the area from 1620 to 1621, and established a claim for the province of New Netherland. In 1685, the court of Cape May County was split from neighboring Burlington County, although the boundaries were not set until seven years later. In 1690, Cape May (originally known as Cape Island) was founded, becoming America's oldest seaside resort.

The county was subdivided into three townships in 1798: Lower, Middle, and Upper. The other 16 municipalities in the county, including two no longer in existence, were established between 1827 and 1928. In 1863, the first railroad in the county opened, which carried crops from the dominant farming industry. Railroads later led to the popularity of the county's coastal resorts. The need for improved automotive access to the county led to the development of the Garden State Parkway, which opened in 1956.

The most populous place was Lower Township with 22,057 residents in the 2020 census, and its geographically largest municipality is Middle Township, which covers 82.96 square miles (214.9 km).

History

Etymology

Before Cape May County was settled by Europeans, the indigenous Kechemeche tribe of the Lenape people inhabited South Jersey, and traveled to the barrier islands during the summer to hunt and fish. During the 17th century, the area that is now Cape May County was claimed as part of New Netherlands, New Sweden, the Province of New Jersey under the British crown, and later West Jersey. On August 28, 1609, English explorer Henry Hudson entered the Delaware Bay and stayed one day on land, north of what is now Cape May Point. As early as 1666, the southern tip of New Jersey was known as Cape Maey, named after Dutch explorer Cornelius Jacobsen May, who sailed the coastline of New Jersey from 1620 to 1621. In 1630, representatives of the Dutch West India Company purchased a 16 sq mi (41 km) tract of land along the Delaware from indigenous people, and bought additional land 11 years later. Due to the large number of whales in the region of Cape May, Dutch explorers founded Town Bank around 1640 along the Delaware Bay as a whaling village. It was the first European settlement in what is now Cape May County, and was populated by descendants of Plymouth County.

History

In 1685, the court of Cape May was split from Burlington County, which at that time encompassed all or nearly all of South Jersey. In 1690, a settlement began at Cape Island (now Cape May). As whaling declined due to overpopulation, Town Bank diminished in importance in favor of Cape May, and was largely washed away by 1750. In 1692, Cape May County was designated as one of the original four counties of West Jersey, defined as the land from the most northerly portion of Great Egg Harbor Bay to a point 20 mi (32 km) east of the mouth of the Maurice River (called West Creek), south to the tip of Cape May. The limits of the county were adjusted over the next two centuries, mostly the portion near Maurice River Township. The first water mill in the county was constructed in 1699 in Cold Spring. Nearby, the First Baptist Church was built in 1712, and the first Cold Spring Presbyterian Church was built in 1718. Both churches, as well as nearby private homes, functioned as the center of early county government.

In 1744, the county chose Romney Marsh – later Cape May Court House – near the county's center to become the county seat. The first jail and courthouse were built in 1764. The county's population was around 1,000 in 1750, isolated from the rest of New Jersey by forests. Cape May grew independently as America's oldest bathing resort by 1765, leading to the city's current motto "The Nation's Oldest Seashore Resort". Amid the British blockade of the Delaware Bay in the American Revolutionary War, two British ships pursued and attacked the American brig Nancy, which fled to the coast at Turtle Gut Inlet (located in Wildwood Crest today). The Nancy was abandoned and sabotaged, killing at least 30 British sailors when the brig exploded after they boarded. The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet on June 29, 1776, was the only Revolutionary War battle fought in the county.

Cape May County was split into three townships on February 21, 1798 – Lower, Middle, and Upper. The three townships were previously established as precincts on April 2, 1723. During the War of 1812, British forces raided farms in the county for food and fresh water. In retaliation, residents dug canals to the ocean, making the water no longer drinkable. In 1827, Dennis Township was created from portions of Upper Township, 101 years after its namesake Dennisville was founded in 1726. The oldest independent borough in the county was Cape Island Borough in 1848, which became the city of Cape May in 1869. Over the next 60 years as transport to the region improved, most of the current municipalities in the county were created. Sea Grove, later renamed Cape May Point, was founded in 1875. In 1879, Ocean City was founded as a religious retreat. Sea Isle City was founded in 1882, followed by West Cape May in 1884. In 1885, Anglesea (renamed North Wildwood in 1906) and Holly Beach (later a part of Wildwood) were founded. A land development company established Avalon in 1887. In 1891, Woodbine was founded on the mainland as an agriculture settlement for Russian Jews who fled religious persecution. From 1894 until 1945, South Cape May existed as an independent borough until it was largely destroyed by the 1944 Great Atlantic hurricane. In 1906, the eastern coastal boundary of Cape May County was established at a point 3 nautical miles (3.5 mi; 5.6 km) east of the coast. The last municipalities to be established were Wildwood Crest (in 1910), Stone Harbor (in 1914), and West Wildwood (in 1920). In 1928, North Cape May was founded, but was dissolved in 1945 after it failed to attract development following the Great Depression.

During World War II, Cape May Canal was built to connect the Delaware Bay and Cape May Harbor, completed in March 1943. The completion of the Garden State Parkway in 1955 brought hundreds of thousands of tourists, as well as a larger year-round population. Since the 1970s, the mainland has become more developed, due to the high cost of building on the barrier islands. Commercial development concentrated along U.S. Route 9 in Rio Grande, Cape May Court House, and Marmora. Concurrent with the 1980 Presidential election, Cape May County residents voted in favor to create a new state of South Jersey along with five other counties in a nonbinding referendum.

Geography and climate

Cape May County is 29 mi (47 km) long and 15 mi (24 km) at its widest. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 620.31 square miles (1,606.6 km), of which 251.52 square miles (651.4 km) was land (40.5%) and 368.79 square miles (955.2 km) was water (59.5%). The county is located about 150 mi (240 km) south of New York City, 80 mi (130 km) southeast of Philadelphia, and 150 mi (240 km) east of Washington, D.C. To the south and east of the county is the Atlantic Ocean. The location near water provides milder temperatures than surrounding areas, as well as a continuous breeze, which contribute to the area's tourism-driven economy. Sea level along the coast is the lowest point. The highest elevation is found at three areas in Belleplain State Forest in the county's northern corner, which are approximately 60 ft (18 m) above sea level.

Overall, the county is flat and coastal. Much of Cape May County lies on the Cape May Peninsula, which is part of the Atlantic coastal plain. The peninsula is bounded to the west by the Delaware Bay, and to the east is 1.5 to 3 mi (2.4 to 4.8 km) of marshes and water channels making up the Intracoastal Waterway. There are over 1,574 mi (2,533 km) of streams and rivers in the county, with the Great Egg Harbor River and its tributaries covering the northern portion of the county. There are also 24,150 acres (9,770 ha) of ponds, lakes, bays, and reservoirs. There are five barrier islands, measuring 32 mi (51 km) in total, that are adjacent to the mainland. The islands have gently-sloped beaches and are largely built up. There were only four barrier islands from 1922, when Turtle Gut Inlet was filled in to create Wildwood Crest, until 1945, when Cape May Canal was constructed through the southern portion of the county.

Climate

Given its maritime influence and southernmost location within New Jersey, Cape May County has a more moderate climate than surrounding areas. During the summer, the county is often 3–5 degrees cooler, and 5–10 degrees warmer in the winter. Much of the county is in USDA plant hardiness zone 7a/7b, with a small portion in the county's southeastern extreme in zone 8a. This equates to an average annual minimum temperature of 0 to 10 °F (−18 to −12 °C). The average temperatures in the county seat of Cape May Court House range from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −22 °F (−30 °C) was recorded in January 1942 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1993. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.91 inches (74 mm) in June to 4.68 inches (119 mm) in August, and annual precipitation is around 40 in (1,000 mm). The region typically gets 10 to 15 in (250 to 380 mm) of snowfall each year, much less than the mountains of New Jersey. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Cape May County has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). According to the Trewartha climate classification this climate is Do (oceanic.) The county has windy conditions throughout the year.

Owing to its location along the coast, Cape May County has experienced the effects of tropical cyclones for centuries. In Whale Beach on Ludlam Island, core samples suggested the passage of an intense hurricane sometime between 1278 and 1438. The next significant hurricane in the area was September 3, 1821. Around 1800 UTC (2:00 pm local time), the eye of the hurricane crossed over Cape May, estimated as a Category 4 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. It is estimated that an identical hurricane to the 1821 storm in the 21st century would cause over $1 billion in damage in Cape May County, and $107 billion in damage nationwide. The Gale of 1878 flooded Cape May County and produced 84 mph (135 km/h) winds. During the passage of Hurricane Gloria in 1985, Ocean City recorded a wind gust of 101 mph (163 km/h). Hurricane Sandy struck the state on October 31, 2012, causing at least $150 million in damage in the county from its high winds and high tides. At the terminal for the Cape May–Lewes Ferry in North Cape May, Sandy produced the highest tide on record at 8.9 ft (2.7 m), surpassing the previous record of 8.8 ft (2.7 m) set by Hurricane Gloria.

Cape May County has experienced a variety of other weather effects. In March 1962, a stalled coastal storm produced several days of extremely high tides along the barrier islands, which damaged the boardwalks of Cape May, Avalon, and Sea Isle City. The 1991 Perfect Storm produced high tides and beach erosion. In January 2016, a blizzard nicknamed "Winter Storm Jonas" produced record high tides in the county, reaching 9.0 ft (2.7 m) at the terminal for Cape May–Lewes Ferry, surpassing that of Hurricane Sandy. Nearly every municipality in the county reported damage, and in coastal towns, the beaches were severely eroded. Since 1950, ten tornadoes have touched down in the county.

Flora and fauna

The uplands, wetlands, and open waters of the county support one of the largest concentration of migratory birds in North America. Nearly 900,000 migratory birds were observed in 1995 in Avalon. Along the Delaware Bay, 800,000 to 1.5 million birds pass through the area each spring. In 1947, the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary was established, which was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1965. In addition to the 151 species of birds that frequent the county, there are two species of whales, the loggerhead sea turtle, the northern pine snake, two species of treefrog, and the tiger salamander that inhabit the waters of Cape May County. Eight species of fish and four species of shellfish populate the coastal waters.

About 30% of the county is covered by forests that runs the length of the Cape May peninsula and connects with the Pinelands. The largely unfragmented forest provides breeding grounds for the barred owl, red-shouldered hawk, and wood thrush, and also provides habitat for insects and migratory birds. In the county's swampy interior, there are over 20 species of trees and 40 species of shrubs. About 42% of the county consists of wetlands. The marshes between the mainland and the barrier island are dominated by the common reed, narrow-leaved cattail, bulrushes, and smooth cordgrass. Along the beach, the American beachgrass predominantly make up dune systems, along with other plant species.

The county utilizes five underground aquifers, including two that derive from the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer. Severe storms resulted in saltwater intrusion of the county's freshwater supply. The suitable growing conditions led to West Cape May considering itself the "lima bean capital of the world", until Guatemala surpassed it in the 1990s. The city still hosts an annual lima bean festival.

Geology

The oldest rocks in the county are at a depth of 5,000 ft (1,500 m), formed during the Precambrian era. These metamorphic rocks include gneiss, quartzite, and schist. During the Paleozoic era, the region was part of a mountainous landmass that extended from the Arctic to Mexico. Erosion during the Triassic and Jurassic periods formed valleys that gathered sediment, which deposited and layered as the coastline receded and rose. In the Paleocene and Eocene epochs, as well as the later Miocene epoch, the area that is now Cape May County was under water. The coastline receded again during the Quaternary period.

During the Sangamonian interglacial period, melting glaciers formed rivers that carried sediment to the coast. The Bridgeton Formation deposited silt and clay through a fluvial process, while the later Cape May Formation deposited sand, silt, clay, and gravel. The Great Egg Harbor River in its formative stage produced a delta that covered much of what is now Cape May County with sediment. During the most recent ice age (Wisconsin glaciation), the sea level dropped to 430 ft (130 m) below its current depth. Around 14,000 years ago, glaciers began melting, and the barrier islands of Cape May County formed, likely from spits and lines of dunes.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had 95,263 people, 40,939 households, and 26,792 families. The population density was 378.9 inhabitants per square mile (146.3/km). There were 99,606 housing units at an average density of 396.2 per square mile (153.0/km). The county's racial makeup was 85.6% White, 3.74% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.95% Asian, and 5.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.83% of the population.

There were 40,939 households, of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 15.5% had a male householder with no wife present and 34.5% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.70.

About 17.6% of the county's population was under age 18, 6.7% was from age 18 to 24, 29.2% was from age 15 to 44, and 27.0% was age 65 or older. The median age was 50.5 years. The gender makeup of the county was 48.4% male and 51.5% female. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males.

The county's median household income was $69,980, and the median family income was $83,695. About 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Cape May County is part of the Ocean City, NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 97,265 people, 40,812 households, and 25,956 families in the county. The population density was 386.9 inhabitants per square mile (149.4/km). There were 98,309 housing units at an average density of 391 per square mile (151/km). The racial makeup was 89.83% (87,369) White, 4.69% (4,565) Black or African American, 0.21% (205) Native American, 0.86% (834) Asian, 0.04% (36) Pacific Islander, 2.47% (2,399) from other races, and 1.91% (1,857) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.22% (6,054) of the population.

Of the 40,812 households, 21.6% had children under the age of 18; 48.3% were married couples living together; 11% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.4% were non-families. Of all households, 31.2% were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89.

18.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 8% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.4 males.

As of the 2010 census, there were 98,365 houses in the county, of which only 42% were occupied year round. There are 47 campgrounds with 17,999 campsites, greater than the number of campsites in all other counties in the state combined. There are also 18,700 hotel rooms in the county. The median household income of the county was $57,168 as of 2013, the fourth-lowest of New Jersey's 21 counties. About 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The county ranked last in the state in terms of residents with Assets Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE), representing nearly one-third of the county's residents.

Government

County government

Cape May County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners consisting of five members elected at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for vote as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a director and deputy director from among its members. In 2016, commissioners were paid $17,973 and the director was paid an annual salary of $18,973. No Democrat has won countywide office since Jeff Van Drew did so in 2000. As of 2025, Cape May County's commissioners are (with terms for director and vice director ending every December 31):

Each county in New Jersey is required by the New Jersey State Constitution to have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Cape May County's Constitutional Officers are:

The Cape May County Prosecutor is Jeffrey H. Sutherland, who was appointed to the position by Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie and sworn into office on December 21, 2017. Cape May County, along with Atlantic County, is part of Vicinage 1 of New Jersey Superior Court. Atlantic County has a civil courthouse in Atlantic City, while criminal cases are heard in Mays Landing; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 1 is Julio L. Mendez.

Law Enforcement

The current county sheriff is Bob Nolan, elected in 2017 after working in the sheriff's office for 30 years, most recently as undersheriff. The first county sheriff was Benjamin Godfrey in 1692. Aside from maintaining law and order, the sheriff's responsibilities include the sale of property, overseeing the corrections facility, transporting of jurors, and collecting court-ordered judgments. The first county jail was built in 1705 in Middle Township, and the current jail was built in 1977. A new facility is scheduled to be completed in August 2018, at the cost of $37 million. In 2015, Cape May County had 3,332 criminal offenses, the fifth fewest of any county in New Jersey. This represented a crime rate of 35.1 offenses per 1,000 people, and a violent crime rate of 4.7 offenses per 1,000 people.

Federal representatives

The 2nd Congressional District covers all of Cape May County. For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 2nd congressional district is represented by Jeff Van Drew (R, Dennis Township).

State representatives

The county lies entirely within the 1st Legislative District.

Politics

Though New Jersey is generally Democratic in recent state-wide elections, Cape May County is a mostly Republican county, with the highest percentage of voters registered as Republicans of any county in the state. Despite the county's strong Republican lean, at least one Democrat has won the county in recent years. In 2018, Democrat Jeff Van Drew outpolled Republican Seth Grossman in the county by a margin of 21,595 (52.6%) to 19,003 (46.3%) in that year's congressional election. Van Drew subsequently changed his partisan affiliation in 2019 and won the county as a Republican over Democratic challenger Amy Kennedy by a margin of 34,627 (60.7%) to 21,899 (38.4%). Since the founding of the Republican Party in 1856, the county has voted Democratic for president five times: in 1864, 1912, 1936, 1964, and 1996. As of October 1, 2021, there were a total of 74,585 registered voters in Cape May County, of whom 31,859 (42.7%) were registered as Republicans, 18,498 (24.8%) were registered as Democrats and 23,325 (31.3%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 903 voters (1.2%) registered to other parties. Among the county's 2010 Census population, 69.9% were registered to vote, including 81.1% of those ages 18 and over.

Economy

The primary job sectors in Cape May County are related to hotel accommodation, food service, retail, health care/aide, arts/entertainment, and construction. Historically, Cape May County's economy was driven by whaling and farming, until seasonal resorts were built in the 19th century. These industries remain a part of the county's job sector, along with agritourism, and around 30,000 people in the private industry. The largest employer is Morey's Piers, which hires 1,500 people. Cape Regional Medical Center hires over 1,000 people. More than 10,000 people are in the hospitality sector. As of February 2018, the unemployment rate in Cape May County was 14.3%, significantly more than the 5.2% unemployment rate in August 2017. Each year, the unemployment rate peaks in the wintertime and drops in the summertime, reflective of the county's dependence on seasonal tourism-driven jobs. As of February 2018, Cape May County had the highest unemployment rate in New Jersey, followed by neighboring Atlantic and Cumberland counties.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $5.0 billion in 2021, which was ranked 19th in the state and was a 6.4% increase from the prior year.

As of 2018, the tourism industry generated about $6.6 billion worth of income in Cape May County, representing 43% of county employment. Retail, food, and beverage represented $2.6 billion, while camping and lodging represented about $2.4 billion in expenditures. Recreational activities generated $708 million in expenditures. Eco-tourism generated $670 million, and transportation costs were $390 million. There is little heavy industry in the county due to environmental concerns.

Tourism

The majority of Cape May County's industry is tourism, due to its beaches and location between the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. During the summer season (which traditionally ranges from Memorial Day to Labor Day), tourists often outnumber locals 9 to 1. As of 2010, the four largest markets for tourism in Cape May County were Greater Philadelphia, North Jersey, New York, and the Canadian province of Québec.

In addition to sales tax, hotel occupancy tax and other assessments charged throughout the state, tourism-related business in North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, such as hotels and restaurants, are required to collect an additional 2% tourism sales tax that is used to cover costs for promoting tourism.

Beginning in 1968 the county government began campaigns to attract tourists from Canada. In 1970 it established a tourism office in Montreal and later made strides to get tourists from other parts of Quebec. The county government made efforts to train tourism establishments on how to receive French-speaking Canadian tourists. In 1991, Canadian tourism into Cape May County remained strong despite an economic recession occurring in Canada. As of 1993, most Canadian tourists to the county were Francophones, who typically began their visits during the final two weeks of the month of July, when many Canadians working in the construction and garment sectors receive two-week paid time off. Most of the French Canadian tourists who visit Cape May County stay in hotels in The Wildwoods or campgrounds on the mainland. In the 1990s, Cape May County established an international tourism office in Montréal, along St. Catherine's Street, but closed it around 1995, due to budget cuts. By 2010 the tourism office of Cape May County established a French language coupon booklet. In 2010, Cape May County tourism director estimated that 13% of visitors to the region originated from Quebec.

Beach tags are required for beach access in some of the most popular beaches and are collected under the terms of a 1955 state law that allows oceanfront municipalities to charge "reasonable fees" for providing safety and maintenance at the beaches. The highest seasonal beach tag fee in the county was $35. The sale of daily, weekly and seasonal tags is a major source of revenue for the communities, with the six beachfront communities in Cape May County that charge for beach tags generating $10 million in revenue in 2016. Ocean City brought in $4.1 million in revenue in the 2016 season, the most of any municipality in the state. In the 2017 budget, the projected $4.1 million in fees for beach tag and $3 million for parking were two of Ocean City's biggest revenue sources, accounting for almost 9% of the city's annual budget of almost $80 million. Cape May City, with revenue of $2.2 million, was ranked third in the state. Four of the five municipalities in the state with guarded oceanfront beaches available with free public access are in the county, including Strathmere in Upper Township and the Wildwoods communities of North Wildwood, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.

Fishing and farming

Fishing has been an important industry in Cape May County since at least the 17th century, when the county's first European settlement was founded as a whaling village. In 1693, whaling proved such a successful industry that colonial Governor Andrew Hamilton instituted a 10% tax on whale products. By the mid-1700s, overfishing had diminished the whale population in the region. In the early 1800s, shipbuilding was an important industry, which declined by the 1850s. Fishing remains an important aspect of Cape May County's economy. In 2016, the combined port of Cape May and Wildwood ranked the ninth largest commercial fishing port in the United States as measured by monetary value, as well as the second largest on the east coast, only after New Bedford. Fishermen brought in 47 million lbs (21 million kg) of seafood, mainly scallops, worth $85 million (2016 USD). This was up from $73.7 million in 2009, when the overall market value of the port was estimated at $442 million, making it the fourth most valuable port in the country. In the 1980s, the scallop industry was worth only $15 million in the state of New Jersey. In 1990, laws limiting the catch and area of scallops led to a healthier and steadier population to harvest, which allowed for growth in the industry. Cold Spring Fish and Supply Company provides 500 jobs and is the county's third-largest employer.

Farming became an important industry in the county by the 19th century, when nearly 70,000 acres (28,000 ha), or about 40% of the county's land area, was involved in farming. The industry's popularity led to the first freight railroad in 1863, and continued to be a fixture of the county's economy until the 1960s. There is an annual lima bean festival in West Cape May featuring foods made with the locally grown lima beans.

Education

There are 16 school districts operating schools, two of them countywide, and three non-operating school districts.

School districts include:

K-12

• Cape May County Special Services School District (countywide for special education)
• Middle Township Public Schools
• Ocean City School District
• Wildwood City School District

Secondary

• Cape May County Technical School District (countywide)
• Lower Cape May Regional School District

Elementary (K-8, except as noted)

• Avalon School District
• Cape May City School District (K-6)
• Dennis Township Public Schools
• Lower Township School District (K-6)
• North Wildwood School District
• Stone Harbor School District
• Upper Township School District
• West Cape May School District (K-6)
• Woodbine School District
• Wildwood Crest School District

Non-operational

• Cape May Point School District (non-operating since 1931)
• Sea Isle City School District (non-operating since 2012)
• West Wildwood School District

There are 25 public elementary and/or middle schools in Cape May County, including two in Avalon and Stone Harbor (which, since 2011, agree to share each other's schools), one in Cape May, two in Dennis Township, five in Lower Township, three in Middle Township, one in North Wildwood, two in Ocean City, three in Upper Township, one in West Cape May, three in Wildwood, one in Wildwood Crest, and one in Woodbine.

The following public high schools are in the county:

• Cape May County Technical High School
• Lower Cape May Regional High School,
• Middle Township High School
• Ocean City High School
• Wildwood High School

There are also nine private schools in the county:

• Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School (Catholic; Cape May Courthouse)
• Cape Christian Academy (Christian; Cape May Courthouse)
• Cape Trinity Catholic School (Catholic; Wildwood)
• Central Bible Church (Presbyterian; Wildwood)
• Families United Network Academy (Christian; Ocean View)
• Rio Grande Baptist Academy (Baptist; Rio Grande)
• Tomorrow's World Early Education (Non-religious, Montessori; Marmora)
• Westminster Christian Academy (Calvinist; Ocean City)
• Wildwood Catholic Academy (Catholic; Wildwood)

As of 2013, 31% of county residents had at least a bachelor's degree, and 89.7% had at least a high school diploma. In 1973, Atlantic Community College began offering night classes at Middle Township High School. In 1999, the college name was formally changed to Atlantic Cape Community College, and a full service campus was opened in 2005 in Cape May Court House. The community college has partnerships with Fairleigh Dickinson University, Rutgers University, and Stockton University.

The Cape May County Library has locations in Cape May, Cape May Court House, Lower Township, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle, Upper Township, Wildwood Crest, and Woodbine, as well as a bookmobile. Ocean City also has its own independent library.

Services

Cape Regional Medical Center opened as Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital in 1950, keeping that name until 2007. It is the only hospital in the county. The facility has expanded over time since its foundation, and now has 242 beds, with a staff of 1,060 people, to service the population and tourists in the county. AtlantiCare opened two urgent care centers in the county since the 1990s. From 2010 to 2015, opioid prescriptions rose 11%, in terms of the amount of morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per person. This rise was among the top 20% of counties nationally, and the second-highest in New Jersey. In the period from 2011 to 2015, health conditions in the county deteriorated, falling to 19th in a survey of New Jersey's 21 counties for child well-being; only neighboring Cumberland and Atlantic counties were worse. The county mortality rate was 13.7%, the highest in the state, which is largely due to the county's large elderly population.

Beesley's Point Generating Station was a coal-based power plant located in Upper Township that generated 447 megawatts of power. The coal plant released among the most emissions of any New Jersey station. The plant's fuel source was scheduled to be changed to natural gas, pending the construction of the Atlantic Reliability Link through the Pinelands National Reserve. In 2017, the Pinelands Commission approved the proposed 22 mi (35 km) pipeline, which would be built under area roads. In response, the New Jersey Sierra Club and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance sued to stop the construction. Prospective green energy projects include the Deepwater Wind-leased Delaware Wind Energy Area, located about 16 mi (26 km) southeast of Cape May. The prospective wind turbines there are capable of generating 3,500 MW of electricity.

Municipalities

The 16 municipalities in Cape May County (with 2010 Census data for population, housing units and area; along with communities within each municipalities for which census-designated places are noted with their population) are:

Recreation

Cape May County Park & Zoo is located in Cape May Court House.

Parks and recreation

As of 2015, 49% of the lands in Cape May County were preserved open space. On November 9, 1989, the voters of Cape May County approved the Open Space Preservation Tax, which generates $4.9 million each year. Since then, the program spent $65 million to preserve open space, farmlands, and historic sites.

Belleplain State Forest was established in 1928 in northwestern Cape May County and adjacent Cumberland County, and consists of 21,254 acres (8,601 ha) of young pine, oak, and Atlantic white cedar trees. Corson's Inlet State Park was established in 1969 near the southern end of Ocean City to protect and preserve one of the last undeveloped areas of land along the New Jersey coastline. Cape May Point State Park was established at the southern end of the county in 1974, having been previously used as a military base until the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 damaged the facility. There are 10 wildlife management areas in the county, including Peaslee, which extends into neighboring Cumberland County, and Tuckahoe/MacNamara, which extends into neighboring Atlantic County.

In 1942, a 40 acres (16 ha) area of wooded land was donated to the county, which housed the 4-H fair. In November 1962, county residents approved a referendum to create a park commission, which was established in 1967 to maintain the county's parks. The lands donated in 1942 became Park Central, and is now over 200 acres (81 ha). In 1978, the Cape May County Park & Zoo was created within Park Central, which houses 250 species of animals. Nearby Cape May County Park East has basketball and tennis courts. Park North is the Richard M. Cameron Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Palermo. Park South is the Fishing Creek Wildlife Preserve, which is 1,700 acres (690 ha) of wetlands and trails. The 93 acres (38 ha) undeveloped Great Sound State Park is in Middle Township.

In 1978, the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve became the first National Reserve in the United States, a 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha) region of South Jersey that spans seven counties, including Cape May. The act, and additional legislation from the New Jersey legislature, created the Pinelands Commission, which manages the growth in the Pine Barrens, and coordinates federal, state, and local governments. Each county appoints a commissioner, and since January 2018, Woodbine mayor William Pikolycky has represented the county. From 1988 until 2011, the National Park Service operated the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, which promoted awareness and protection of nearly 300 mi (480 km) of New Jersey coastline. In 1989, the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge was established from lands purchased by the Nature Conservancy, and has grown in size since its establishment.

Breweries, distilleries, and wineries

Cape May Brewing Company opened in 2011 at the Cape May Airport, and by 2015 was the third-largest brewer in New Jersey. Tuckahoe Brewing also opened in 2011 in Ocean View, but moved to a bigger facility in Egg Harbor Township in neighboring Atlantic County in 2015. In 2015, Slack Tide Brew opened in Clermont. In 2016, Ludlam Island Brewery opened in the former location of Tuckahoe Brewing, after originally seeking to open the facility in Sea Isle City. Also in 2016, Cold Spring Brewing began operations out of a barn from 1804, as part of Historic Cold Spring Village, and 7 Mile Brewery opened in Cape May Court House. In 2017, Avalon Brew Pub opened in Avalon, and Bucket Brigade Brewery opened in Cape May Court House. Mudhen Brewery opened in Wildwood in April 2018. Gusto Brewery opened in December 2018 in North Cape May.

The first distillery to open in the county since the prohibition era was Lazy Eye Distillery, which opened a second facility in Wildwood in 2015 after opening its first facility in Atlantic County in 2014. In the same year, Cape May Distillery opened in Green Creek. In 2017, Nauti Spirits opened in Cape May on a 60 acres (24 ha) farm.

In 2007, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture designated Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Ocean counties as the Outer Coastal Plain American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 2007, recognizing the area as well-suited for grape growing. In late 2014, local wineries sought for a distinct Cape May Peninsula AVA. As of 2015, there were six wineries in the county. Cape May Winery & Vineyard opened in 1995 in North Cape May as the first commercial winery in the county. Turdo Vineyards & Winery opened to the public in North Cape May in 2004. Natali Vineyards opened in 2007 in the Goshen section of Middle Township. In 2009, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery opened to the public in the Rio Grande section of Lower Township. In 2012, Jessie Creek Winery opened in Cape May Court House, and in the same year, Willow Creek Winery opened in West Cape May.

Transportation

The indigenous population left behind a series of trails across Cape May County by the late 17th century. In 1695, John Somers operated the first ferry service across the Great Egg Harbor Bay to Beesley's Point in Cape May County. Beginning in 1697 and completed in 1707, the residents of Cape May County financed the construction of a road running from Cape May to the ferry in Beesley's Point, and onward to Burlington. Roads were built across the county to connect with the court house, but in low-lying areas these routes were corduroy roads, built from a series of logs. Local businessmen built the Dennis Creek Causeway in 1803, which eventually became NJ 47, which contributed to the growth of towns along the Delaware Bay, although people traveled to the county more often by steamboat.

In August 1863, the Cape May and Millville Railroad opened, connecting the county more quickly to points to the northwest. The railroad shipped freight from the county's many farms, and brought more people to the area, contributing to the development of coastal resorts. Travelers often brought their lunch in shoe boxes, leading to their nickname "shoobies". By 1892, much of the county was accessible by railroad, including all of the barrier islands. A second rail line was added in 1893 that connected Cape May to a branch of the rail line that ran from Atlantic City to Camden. By the 1890s, bicycling became common throughout the county, and bikeriders successfully lobbied the county to build better roads. Between 1900 and 1915, the county government built over 100 miles of gravel roads, a fact promoted in a county promotional brochure, but also the cause of controversies. County engineer N. C. Price was dismissed in 1903 due to accusations of poor building materials and inflated costs, and in 1921, two freeholders were jailed for defrauding the county, resulting in a smaller board of freeholders.

In 1916, the New Jersey legislature created the state highway system, taking responsibility for the maintenance and building of major roads. In 1917, the road between Cape May and Seaville became Route 14, which was renumbered Route 4 in 1927, and later U.S. 9 by the 1940s. The road ran the length of the state, and connected Cape May County with Atlantic County via the Beesley's Point Bridge built in 1928. From 1934 to 1946, the Cape May County Bridge Commission issued bonds and secured funding for five toll bridges to connect the barrier islands with each other. By the 1950s, state routes 47, 49, 50, 52, and 83 were established, connecting various municipalities.

In 1956, the Great Egg Harbor Bridge opened, connecting the county with Atlantic County and points north and west via the Garden State Parkway. A parallel bridge carrying northbound traffic of the Garden State Parkway opened in 1973. The road brings hundreds of thousands of people to the county during the summertime. The parkway passes through the length of the county, and has its southern terminus, known as Exit Zero, in Lower Township, connecting with U.S. Route 9. Further transportation connections were made after the Cape May–Lewes Ferry began operation in 1964, which can carry up to 100 cars and 800 people on its fleet of five boats. In 1971, Route 147 replaced county routes for the roadway from North Wildwood to U.S. 9, and in the same year, Route 162 was established for a new bridge over the Cape May Canal. In 1972, U.S. 9 was relocated from its southern terminus in Cape May to the ferry; the former route was redesignated Route 109. Route 347 was designated in the 1990s as an alternate route to Route 47.

The county has a total of 1,036.15 miles (1,667.52 km) of roadways, of which 730.07 miles (1,174.93 km) are maintained by the local municipality, 200.98 miles (323.45 km) by Cape May County, 74.18 miles (119.38 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 30.92 miles (49.76 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. There are 23 bridges owned by the county, including a series of causeways and bridges connecting the five barrier islands to the mainland.

There is limited public transportation within the county. The ensuing traffic congestion during summer months causes roadway congestion. NJ Transit buses operate the following lines in and out of the county: 313, 315, 316, 319, 507, 509, 510, and 552. The Great American Trolley Company operates private trolleys in Cape May, the Wildwoods, and Ocean City. The county also has a Fare Free Transportation system for limited populations. There are three airports in the county. The oldest is Ocean City Municipal Airport, opened in 1937. In 1941, Cape May Airport opened about 5 mi (8.0 km) north of Cape May, originally as Naval Air Station Wildwood. Woodbine Municipal Airport opened in 1945.

In 2009, the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cape May County, ranked as the sixth highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who walked to work (8.4%).

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Cape May County, New Jersey
• South Seaville Camp Meeting

Notes

References

1. ^ 2020 Census Gazetteer File for Counties in New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 1, 2023.
2. ^ QuickFacts Cape May County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 7, 2023.
3. ^ Total Population: Census 2010 - Census 2020 New Jersey Municipalities, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed December 1, 2022.
4. ^ Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties in New Jersey: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023, United States Census Bureau, released March 2024. Accessed March 15, 2024.
5. New Jersey County Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed December 22, 2022.
6. "Regions: North, Central, South, Shore - Best of NJ", Best of NJ, Accessed May 30, 2024. "Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean County make up the Jersey Shore region."
7. Willis, David P. "'This is how wars start': Does Central Jersey include both Ocean and Union counties?", Asbury Park Press, February 20, 2023. Accessed March 31, 2024. "North Jersey is defined as Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Hudson counties; South Jersey would be Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Atlantic, Salem, Cumberland and Cape May counties. But for Central, things get a little tricky. It would include Hunterdon, Somerset, Union, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties."
8. Table1. New Jersey Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships: 2020 and 2010 Censuses, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed December 1, 2022.
9. "New Jersey: 2020 Census - New Jersey Population Topped 9 Million in Last Decade", United States Census Bureau, August 25, 2021. Accessed December 25, 2022.
10. ^ DP1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Cape May County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 26, 2016.
11. ^ "DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000; Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Cape May County, New Jersey". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
12. New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 27, 2023.
13. ^ New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts; 2010 Census of Population and Housing Archived July 23, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, p. 6, CPH-2-32. United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed August 29, 2016.
14. ^ John P. Snyder (1969). The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968 (PDF). Trenton, New Jersey: Bureau of Geology and Topography. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
15. Robert F. Holden (August 9, 2017). "History of the Ten Villages of Upper Township: The Island Village of Strathmere, Part 1". The Gazette of Upper Township. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
16. A Brief History of Ocean City New Jersey Archived April 21, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, Ocean City, New Jersey. Accessed December 23, 2017.
17. ^ The Society of Colonial Wars in the State of New Jersey (1928). Historic Roadsides of New Jersey. GetNJ.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
18. "Coastal Charts". Historical Background Maps. Princeton University. 2014. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
19. ^ Cape May County Comprehensive Plan (PDF) (Report). Government of Cape May County. 2005. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
20. "Bizarre History of Cape May --Town Bank was once touted as a whaling town". The Gazette of Cape May. August 1, 2012. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
21. "Lower Township". Government of Cape May County. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
22. ^ New Jersey Historic Bridge Survey (PDF). A. G. Lichtenstein & Associates (Report). New Jersey Department of Transportation. September 1994. pp. 117–128. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
23. ^ Maser Consulting P.A. (March 17, 2016). Strategic Recovery Planning Report (PDF) (Report). Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
24. Al Frazza. "Revolutionary War Sites in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey". Revolutionary War New Jersey. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
25. ^ "Southern New Jersey and the Delaware Bay: Historic Themes and Resources within the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route". National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 30, 2012.
26. Richard Pérez-Peña (August 6, 2010). "Remembering a Town Swallowed by the Sea". New York Times. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
27. ^ Jeffery M. Dorwart (1992). Cape May County, New Jersey: The Making of an American Resort Community. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813517841.
28. ^ "Bizarre History of Cape May --Cape May Canal's history runs deep". The Gazette of Cape May. June 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
29. Erik Larson (March 5, 2016). "South Jersey voted to secede from NJ". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
30. ^ Joseph Dowhan; Thomas Halavik; Andrew Milliken; Andrew MacLachlan; Marcianna Caplis; Kelly Lima; Andrew Zimba (November 1997). "Cape May Peninsula #1". Significant Habitats and Habitat Complexes of the New York Bight Watershed. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
31. "Cape May County High Point, New Jersey". Peakbagger.com. November 1, 2004. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
32. "The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet". Wildwood Crest Historical Society. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
33. ^ "Monthly Averages for Cape May Court House, New Jersey". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
34. ^ Dan Skeldon (May 3, 2015). "Cape May winemakers seek federal distinction as industry grows". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
35. "New Jersey". Plant Hardiness Zone Map. United States Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original (JPG) on May 8, 2018. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
36. Amy Harris. "The Average Climate of New Jersey". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
37. "Koppen Climate Classification for the Conterminous United States". Data.gov. U.S. General Services Administration. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
38. Cape May County Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan (PDF) (Report). Cape May County Planning Department. April 21, 2008. p. 85. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 23, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
39. Donnelly J. P.; S. Roll; M. Wengren; J. Butler; R. Lederer; T. Webb III (July 2001). "Sedimentary evidence of intense hurricane strikes from New Jersey". Geology. 29 (7): 615–618. Bibcode:2001Geo....29..615D. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0615:SEOIHS>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0091-7613. Abstract Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
40. Protectingnewjersey.org (2006). "New Jersey: Exposed and Unprepared". Archived from the original on September 1, 2006. Retrieved July 4, 2007.
41. David Roth; Hugh Cobb (May 27, 2000). "Re-Analysis of the Gale of '78 - Storm 9 of the 1878 Hurricane Season". Archived from the original on March 18, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
42. Robert A. Case (July 1, 1986). "Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1985" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review. 114 (7). American Meteorological Society: 1395. Bibcode:1986MWRv..114.1390C. doi:10.1175/1520-0493(1986)114<1390:AHSO>2.0.CO;2. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
43. High Wind Event for Eastern Cape May County (Report). National Climatic Data Center. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
44. ^ Cape May County (PDF) (Report). Mount Holly, New Jersey National Weather Service. May 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
45. Al Campbell (March 3, 2016). "March 1962 Storm Left Its Mark". Cape May County Herald. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
46. "The '62 Storm: How Bad Was It?". Cape May County Herald. March 3, 2012. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
47. Buchholz, Margaret; Larry Savadove (1993). Great Storms of the Jersey Shore. Down the Shore Publishing. pp. 148–150. ISBN 0-945582-51-X.
48. Michael Miller; Nicholas Huba (January 29, 2016). "Jonas' toll: $67 million and counting in Cape May County". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
49. Search Results for Cape May County (Report). National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
50. "The Sanctuary's History". Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
51. Kenneth Buchhoiz; Ralph E. Good (July 1982). Compendium of New Jersey Pine Barrens Literature (PDF) (Report). Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies. p. 162. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 13, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
52. Eric Levin (September 14, 2009). "Happy Harvests". New Jersey Monthly. Archived from the original on July 4, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
53. ^ Carol S. Lucey (1976). Geology of Cape May County in Brief (PDF) (Report). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
54. Forstall, Richard L. Population of states and counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990 from the Twenty-one Decennial Censuses Archived January 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, pp. 108-109. United States Census Bureau, March 1996. ISBN 9780934213486. Accessed October 3, 2013.
55. Archived August 22, 2021, at the Wayback Machine Accessed September 10, 2021.
56. "Cape May County | Census Data". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
57. Metropolitan Statistical Areas: New Standards and Their Impact on Selected Federal Programs (PDF) (Report). United States General Accounting Office. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 24, 2004. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
58. ^ Kelly E. Sloane (May 2015). Economic Indicators and Quality of Life in Southern New Jersey (PDF) (Report). Stockton University. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
59. What is a Freeholder? Archived May 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed October 23, 2017.
60. Gallo Jr., Bill. "Which N.J. county freeholders are paid the most?" Archived October 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, NJ.com, March 11, 2016. Accessed October 25, 2017. "Freeholder director: $18,973; Other freeholders: $17,973"
61. ^ Board of County Commissioners, Cape May County. Accessed September 19, 2022.Note that as of date accessed, Desiderio was listed with an incorrect term-end year of 2021.
62. Leonard C. Desiderio, Cape May County New Jersey. Accessed September 19, 2022.
63. Andrew Bulakowski, Cape May County New Jersey. Accessed January 30, 2023.
64. E. Marie Hayes, Cape May County New Jersey. Accessed September 19, 2022.
65. Will Morey, Cape May County New Jersey. Accessed September 19, 2022.
66. Jeffrey L. Pierson, Cape May County New Jersey. Accessed September 19, 2022.
67. New Jersey State Constitution (1947), Article VII, Section II, Paragraph 2 Archived November 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed October 26, 2017.
68. Constitutional Officers Archived October 24, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2018.
69. County Clerk Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed September 17, 2021.
70. ^ "2020 General Election Summary Report" (PDF). Cape May, NJ Elections. Cape May County Election Departments. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
71. Members List: Clerks Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed September 17, 2021.
72. Home Page Archived May 18, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May County Sheriff. Accessed June 6, 2018.
73. Members List: Sherriffs Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed September 17, 2021.
74. Surrogate Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May County, New Jersey. Accessed September 17, 2021.
75. Members List: Surrogates Archived September 17, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Constitutional Officers Association of New Jersey. Accessed September 17, 2021.
76. About Us Archived October 27, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Cape May Office of the Prosecutor. Accessed February 17, 2018. "Our current County Prosecutor, Jeffrey H. Sutherland, was sworn into office on December 21st, 2017 as appointed by Governor Chris Christie."
77. Atlantic/Cape May Counties Archived October 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Courts. Accessed October 23, 2017.
78. Donald Wittkowski (November 8, 2017). "Nolan Wins as CMC Sheriff; Morey, Pierson Win in CMC Freeholder Race; Van Drew in Senate". OCNJDaily. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
79. "History of the Sheriff's Office". Cape May County Sheriff's Office. August 30, 2017. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
80. Al Campbell (February 18, 2018). "Jail's Price Tag Now $38.5 Million; Inmates Could Have Grabbed Sprinklers". Cape May County Herald. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
81. John DeRosier (April 27, 2018). "Cape May County set to unveil new, state-of-the-art jail". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
82. Al Campbell (May 25, 2018). "Jail Project Adds $500,000; Work Extended 159 Days". Cape May County Herald. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
83. S.P. Sullivan (May 2, 2017). "Where does crime happen in N.J.? A county-by-county look". NJ.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2018.
84. 2012 Congressional Districts by County Archived May 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections. Accessed October 3, 2013.
85. Plan Components Report Archived December 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2011. Accessed October 3, 2013.
86. Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
87. 2011 Legislative Districts by County Archived May 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State, Division of Elections, June 2011. Accessed July 18, 2013.
88. ^ "New Jersey Legislature - Legislative Roster". www.njleg.state.nj.us. Archived from the original on March 18, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
89. Statewide Voter Registration Summary as of October 1, 2021, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 28, 2022.
90. Statewide Voter Registration Summary Archived December 22, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, as of October 31, 2014. Accessed May 11, 2015.
91. GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State – County / County Equivalent from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 11, 2015.
92. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
93. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
94. ^ Bill Barlow (September 21, 2017). "County Looks to New Industry, Expanded Season to Retain Jobs". Cape May County Herald. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
95. William Sokolic (May 29, 2016). "Fewer U.S. applicants for summer jobs at Morey's Pier at Jersey Shore". Philly Voice. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
96. "Unemployment Rate in Cape May County, NJ, retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis". U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. January 1990. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
97. New Jersey Counties Unemployment Rates - February 2018 (PDF) (Report). New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 18, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
98. Gross Domestic Product by County, 2021, Bureau of Economic Analysis, released December 8, 2022. Accessed July 17, 2023.
99. Diane Wieland (May 5, 2016). 2016 Cape May County Tourism Report (PDF) (Report). Government of Cape May County. Archived from the original on March 22, 2018. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
100. Wittkowski, Donald (May 18, 2019). "Tourism Hits $6.6 Billion in Cape May County". Sea Isle News. Archived from the original on January 25, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
101. ^ Di Ionno, Mark. "Canadian tourists continue to flock to Wildwoods as vacation destination" Archived November 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, The Star-Ledger, August 3, 2010. Accessed July 12, 2015.
102. Cape May County Tourism Sales Tax Overview Archived January 24, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Treasury. Accessed January 24, 2018. "Effective January 1, 2018, businesses in Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest collect a 2% Cape May Tourism Tax and a 6.625% New Jersey Sales Tax on tourism-related sales (Combined rate, 8.625%) This is in addition to the 1.85% Tourism Assessment and the 3.15% State Occupancy Fee on hotel occupancies."
103. Degener, Richard (March 16, 2014). "Cape May offers tips on French Canadians". The Daily Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
104. Barlas, Thomas. CANADIANS VISITING CAPE DESPITE ECONOMY Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine." Press of Atlantic City, July 24, 1991. Accessed August 20, 2013.
105. Barlas, Thomas. "Canadian Invasion Spreading / Visitors From Ontario Seeking Info About Cape May, O.C. Vacations" Archived October 4, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Press of Atlantic City, July 18, 1993. Accessed August 20, 2013.
106. DeAngelis, Martin (March 1, 2016). "Incentives keep French-Canadians filing into area resorts". The Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
107. Lapusheski, Christine. "Canadian Connection Seeks Warm Reception / New Tourism Head Busy Touting Cape" Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Press of Atlantic City, February 28, 1990. Accessed August 20, 2013.
108. Gilfillian, Trudi. "Canadians invade, to county's delight / Cape May County enjoys influx of tourists" Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, The Press of Atlantic City, August 18, 2009. Accessed August 20, 2013.
109. Staff. "Cape May, N.J., targets Canadian tourists" Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, USA Today, February 9, 2010. Accessed August 20, 2013.
110. St. Martin, Victoria. "More than one third of N.J. beach towns that require beach badges are increasing summer rates" Archived January 24, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, The Star-Ledger, May 26, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2018. "The idea behind a 1955 state law was that towns could 'provide facilities and safeguards for public bathing and recreation,' including lifeguards, by charging 'reasonable fees.'"
111. Hawk, Tim. "9 surprising facts you may not have known about N.J. beach tags" Archived January 24, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 16, 2017. Accessed January 24, 2018. "From Cape May Point to Brigantine, no seasonal fee is more than $35."
112. ^ Hoover, Amanda. "Here's how much money Shore towns raked in off beach badges last summer" Archived January 24, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 2, 2017. Accessed January 23, 2018. "Ocean City - Revenue: $4.12 million; Price: Daily-$5; Weekly-$10; Seasonal-$25."
113. Wittkowski, Donald. "Ocean City's Proposed 2017 Municipal Budget Emphasizes Capital Projects" Archived January 24, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, OCNJ Daily, March 15, 2017. Accessed January 23, 2018. "Ocean City's proposed $79.7 million operating budget reflects a healthy real estate market and should satisfy Wall Street credit-rating agencies, but will require local property owners to pay more in taxes this year, according to the city's chief financial officer.... Ocean City has the ability to tap different sources of revenue – in addition to local property taxes – to finance the operating budget. Beach tag sales and parking operations are two of the biggest revenue generators. The budget forecasts $4.1 million in beach tag sales and $3 million in parking revenue for 2017."
114. Spoto, MaryAnn. "Surfers fighting to save dwindling free beaches" Archived December 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 20, 2015. Accessed January 24, 2018. "New Jersey has five free guarded ocean beaches – Atlantic City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and the Strathmere section of Upper Township."
115. Jack Tomczuk (November 26, 2017). "$85 million commercial fishing industry feeds Cape May County economy". The Gazette of Cape May. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
116. "Region's ports rank highly in NOAA's "Fisheries of the US" report". Commercial Fisheries News. December 2017. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
117. Degener, Richard. "Port of Cape May reels in $73.7M., climbs to fourth in nation" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, The Press of Atlantic City, July 26, 2009. Accessed October 3, 2013. "Scallop harvests, boosted by federal regulations that close off huge sections of the ocean to let them grow big and plump, helped the port, which includes docks in Lower Township and Wildwood but none actually in Cape May, move from the eighth largest in the country in 2007 to No. 4 in the nation last year."
118. "Cape May, NJ". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
119. "Lima Bean Soup". Taste of Home. Archived from the original on November 26, 2019. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
120. New Jersey School Directory for Cape May County, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 1, 2022.
121. Search for Public School Districts in Cape May County, New Jersey, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed August 1, 2022.
122. 2020 Census School District Reference Map for Cape May County, NJ, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 22, 2022.
123. 2020 Census School District Reference List for Cape May County, NJ, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 22, 2022. The Census Bureau does not indicate countywide districts, and includes non-operating ones.
124. "About Avalon Stone Harbor Schools". Avalon Stone Harbor Schools. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
125. "Cape May City Elementary School". Cape May City Elementary School. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
126. "Schools". Dennis Township School Districts. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
127. "Lower Township Elementary Schools Student–Parent Handbook" (PDF). Lower Township Elementary School District. September 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
128. "Richard M. Teitelman Middle School Performance Report" (PDF). Lower Cape May Regional School District. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
129. ^ "Welcome to Middle Township". Middle Township Public Schools. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
130. "Schools". North Wildwood School District. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
131. ^ "Schools". Ocean City School District. Archived from the original on May 8, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
132. "School Information". The School District of Upper Township. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
133. "Mission Statement". West Cape May School District. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
134. ^ "Schools". Wildwood City School District. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
135. "Board of Education Statement". Crest Memorial School. Archived from the original on April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
136. "Woodbine Elementary School". Woodbine School District. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
137. "About Us". Cape May County Technical School District. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
138. "Lower Cape May Regional High School Performance Report" (PDF). Lower Cape May Regional School District. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
139. "Cape May County Private Schools". Private School Review. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
140. "From Dream to Reality: A Timeline". Atlantic Cape Community College. Archived from the original on April 5, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
141. "Bachelor's Degree Programs at Atlantic Cape". Atlantic Cape Community College. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2018.
142. "Library Locations". Cape May County Library. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
143. "Ocean City Free Public Library". City of Ocean City, New Jersey. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
144. Michael Miller (July 11, 2011). "Opening of Cape Regional Medical Center's renovated ICU continues growth trend at South Jersey hospitals". Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
145. Cindy Kraemer (February 12, 2015). "Cape Regional Medical Center" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Health. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
146. "Locations & Hours". AtlantiCare. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
147. Ken Serrano (January 8, 2018). "Opioid prescriptions in NJ 2010-2015: Cape May County". Asbury Park Press.
148. Emily Leaman (June 6, 2016). "Report: Cape May Among Worst New Jersey Counties for Kids' Health, Wellbeing". Philly Magazine. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
149. Carla Astudillo (March 31, 2018). "Why living in South Jersey could take years off your life, explained". NJ.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
150. "B.L. England Generating Station". Rockland Capital. Archived from the original on September 20, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
151. James M. O'Neill (May 31, 2017). "2 N.J. coal power plants close for good, ensuring cleaner air". Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
152. Tom Johnson (April 17, 2017). "Coal-fired B.L. England power plant to stay in service 2 more years". Philadelphia Business Journal.
153. David O'Reilly. "Along the hotly disputed Pinelands pipeline's path, hopes, fears, and doubts". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
154. Michelle Brunetti (February 24, 2017). "Pinelands Commission approves SJ Gas pipeline". Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
155. Al Campbell (April 13, 2018). "Freeholders Learn Potential Wind Turbine Farms Offer". Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
156. "GCT-PH1: Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County – County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Cape May County, New Jersey". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 20, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
157. Locality Search Archived July 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 11, 2015.
158. "Cape May County Open Space Program Guide". Cape May County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Program. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
159. "Bellplain State Forest". New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
160. "Corson's Inlet State Park". New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Parks and Forestry. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
161. Clay Sutton; Patricia Sutton (2006). Birds and Birding at Cape May. Stackpole Books. p. 470. ISBN 978-0-8117-3134-8.
162. "Wildlife Management Areas". New Jersey Department of Fish and Wildlife. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on November 24, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
163. "Cape May County Parks". Government of Cape May County. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
164. "History of the Cape May County Park". Cape May County Park & Zoo. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
165. Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey: 2004 Edition (Report). Skinder=Strauss Associates. 2004. p. 159. ISBN 1-57741-187-0.
166. Transcription of Commission Meeting of State House Commission (PDF) (Report). The New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. June 30, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
167. "New Jersey Pinelands Commission | The Pinelands National Reserve". www.nj.gov. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
168. "CMP Summary". Pinelands Commission. 2015. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
169. "Commission Members". Pinelands Commission. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
170. "New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route, 2011 Strategic Plan". United States National Park Service. 2011. Archived from the original on April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
171. "Cape May National Wildlife Refuge" (PDF). United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 10, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
172. "U.S. Public Lands". The Nature Conservancy. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
173. Mary Linehan (August 15, 2012). "Council doubles economic development loan to Cape May Brewing Co". Cape May Gazette. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
174. Alicia Vitarelli (August 20, 2015). "Unique products created ahead of papal visit". 6 ABC. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
175. Felicia Compian (April 16, 2013). "How They Make It: Tuckahoe Brewery shows how to serve up award-winning stout". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
176. Nicholas Huba (October 21, 2015). "Tuckahoe Brewing moves to bigger digs in Egg Harbor Township". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
177. ^ John Howard-Fusco (2017). Culinary History of Cape May, A: Salt Oysters, Beach Plums & Cabernet Franc. American Palate. pp. 124–125. ISBN 9781626195899. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
178. Chris Castellani (June 27, 2017). "Brew Jersey: Tuckahoe Brewing Co". BestofNJ.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
179. "Ludlam Island Brewery". Inglorious Beerstards. February 14, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
180. Camille Sailer (March 3, 2015). "Brew Pubs Rejected, Council Splits 3-2". Cape May County Herald. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
181. John Roth (Spring 2016). "Tapping into History". Cape May Magazine. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
182. Christopher South (January 19, 2017). "1804 barn fits in, supports Cold Spring Village in Lower Township". The Gazette of Cape May. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
183. "7 Mile Brewery sets grand opening Saturday". The Gazette of Middle Township. August 31, 2016. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
184. "At the Shore, a wave of new restaurants". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 29, 2017. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
185. "Extinguish Your Thirst at the New Bucket Brigade Brewery". Cape May County Herald. January 5, 2018. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
186. Ryan Laughlin (May 23, 2018). "New spots to get your munch on in South Jersey this summer". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
187. Mark Haynie (February 5, 2019). "Cape May county brews continue to grow". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
188. Michael Miller (June 28, 2015). "New distillery opens in Wildwood". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
189. Michael Miller (May 12, 2015). "Middle Township distillery ready to gin up new business". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
190. Drew Lazor (July 27, 2017). "Farm-to-bottle: Craft distillery making vodka from Jersey sweet potatoes at the Shore". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
191. "New Jersey Wine Industry". New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
192. Howard G. Goldberg (August 27, 2000). "A Big Wine Out of a Tiny Vineyard". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
193. Frecon, Jerome L. (May 16, 2013). "Wine Grape Twilight Meeting" (PDF) (Press release). Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 5, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
194. Charlie Toms (September 28, 2013). "Turdo Vineyards Review". American Winery Guide. Archived from the original on June 21, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
195. Kaitlin Kline (June 22, 2017). "Six South Jersey Wineries to Check Out This Summer". SNJ Today. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
196. "New Jersey State Historic Sites". New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. January 3, 2018. Archived from the original on February 15, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
197. Early History of Cape May County (PDF). 1857. pp. 169–170. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
198. "1872: County Wall Map". Nova Caesarea: A Cartographic Record of the Garden State 1666-1888. Princeton University. 2014. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
199. Susan Tischler (February 2007). "The Excursionists: A Ticket to Success". Cape May Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
200. Jeffery M. Dorwart (1992). Cape May County, New Jersey: The Making of an American Resort Community. Rutgers University Press. pp. 201–202. ISBN 9780813517841.
201. 1917 Annual Report (Report). New Jersey Department of Transportation. 1917.
202. 1927 New Jersey Road Map (Map). State of New Jersey. Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
203. ^ Map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey (Map). Cartography by H.M. Gousha. Mid-West Map Co. 1941. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
204. Lee Procida (December 19, 2012). "Closed bridge ties Beesleys Point to the quiet life". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
205. "Bridge History". Government of Cape May County, New Jersey. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
206. 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering (Report). New Jersey Department of Highways. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
207. "The Garden State Parkway Crossing the Great Egg Harbor Bay" (PDF). New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
208. Michael Miller (March 2, 2011). "Parkway to replace southbound Great Egg Harbor bridge; demolition pushed for Beesleys Point Bridge". Press of Atlantic City. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
209. "Garden State Parkway Straight Line Diagram" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. January 1997. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 18, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
210. "Gotta Gripe? The Mystery of a Road at Grassy Sound". The Courier-Post. July 20, 1972. p. 3. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
211. National Bridge Inventory (2008). Structure Number: ++++++++0513150 (2008 ed.). Washington D.C.: United States Department of Transportation.
212. U.S. Route Numbering Subcommittee (November 11, 1972). "U.S. Route Numbering Committee Agenda" (Report). Washington, DC: American Association of State Highway Officials. p. 427. Retrieved October 16, 2014 – via Wikisource.
213. United States-Canada-Mexico Road Atlas (Map). Rand McNally. 1996.
214. "Cape May County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Transportation. July 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
215. "313 315 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
     • "316 510 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
     • "319 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
     • "507 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
     • "509 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
     • "552 Timetable" (PDF). New Jersey Transit. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
216. "Local Transit Trolley Service". Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
217. "26N Ocean City Municipal Airport". AirNav, LLC. March 29, 2018. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
218. R.A. Wiedemann & Associates, Inc. (November 2008). "Cape May County Airport Business Plan" (PDF). Delaware River and Bay Authority. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
219. "KOBI Woodbine Municipal Airport". AirNav, LLC. March 29, 2018. Archived from the original on April 18, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
220. Commuting in the United States: 2009 - American Community Survey Reports Archived July 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, United States Census Bureau, September 2011. Accessed March 7, 2018.

External links

• Official county website
• The Cape May County Gazette newspaper
• The Beachcomber
• Cape May County Herald newspaper
• Rutgers at Atlantic Cape Community College

v t e Places adjacent to Cape May County, New Jersey
Cumberland County Atlantic County Kent County, Delaware -across Delaware Bay Cape May County, New Jersey Sussex County, Delaware -across Delaware Bay

v t e Municipalities and communities of Cape May County, New Jersey, United States
County seat: Cape May Court House
Cities	Cape May North Wildwood Ocean City Sea Isle City Wildwood
Boroughs	Avalon Cape May Point Stone Harbor West Cape May West Wildwood Wildwood Crest Woodbine
Townships	Dennis Township Lower Township Middle Township Upper Township
CDPs	Beesleys Point Belleplain Burleigh Cape May Court House Dennisville Diamond Beach Erma Goshen Marmora Marshallville North Cape May Ocean View Palermo Rio Grande Seaville South Dennis South Seaville Strathmere Tuckahoe Villas Whitesboro
Other communities	Clermont Cold Spring Dias Creek Green Creek Mayville Miami Beach Petersburg Schellenger Landing Swainton
New Jersey portal United States portal

v t e State of New Jersey
Trenton (capital)
Topics	Index Geography climate climate change Government elections Governor Lieutenant Governor Delegations Senators Representatives History Law Media Municipalities Music Parks People Sports Symbols Transportation
Society	Abortion Cuisine Crime Gambling Gun laws LGBT rights Politics
Regions	Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Jersey Delaware River Region Delaware Valley Gateway Region Hudson Waterfront Highlands Jersey Shore Meadowlands New Jersey Pine Barrens New York metro area North Hudson North Jersey Pascack Valley Piedmont Raritan Bayshore Raritan Valley Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Skylands Region Somerset Hills Southern Shore Region South Jersey Tri‑State Region West Essex West Hudson
Counties	Atlantic Bergen Burlington Camden Cape May Cumberland Essex Gloucester Hudson Hunterdon Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Ocean Passaic Salem Somerset Sussex Union Warren
Major cities and towns	Atlantic City Bayonne Brick Township Camden Cherry Hill Clifton East Orange Edison Elizabeth Franklin Township (Somerset) Hackensack Hamilton Township (Mercer) Hoboken Jersey City Lakewood Township Newark New Brunswick Ocean City Paterson Perth Amboy Toms River Trenton Union City Vineland Woodbridge Township
New Jersey portal

v t e Delaware Valley
Counties	Atlantic (NJ) Berks (PA) Bucks (PA) Burlington (NJ) Camden (NJ) Cape May (NJ) Cecil (MD) Chester (PA) Cumberland (NJ) Delaware (PA) Gloucester (NJ) Kent (DE) Mercer (NJ) Montgomery (PA) New Castle (DE) Philadelphia (PA) Salem (NJ)
Major cities	Philadelphia
Cities and towns 50k-99k	Abington Bensalem Brandywine Hundred Bristol Camden Cherry Hill Gloucester Township Hamilton Lower Merion New Castle Hundred Pennsauken Reading Trenton Upper Darby Vineland Wilmington
Cities and towns 30k-50k	Atlantic City Cheltenham Chester Deptford Dover Egg Harbor Evesham Ewing Falls Galloway Haverford Lawrence Lower Makefield Middletown Millville Monroe Mount Laurel Newark Norristown Northampton Radnor Ridley Warminster Washington Willingboro Winslow
See also	Northeast megalopolis

• New Jersey counties
• Cape May County, New Jersey
• 1685 establishments in New Jersey
• Geography of the Pine Barrens (New Jersey)
• Jersey Shore
• Populated places established in 1685
• South Jersey