Echoes of the Past: Tracing Cape May’s Whaling Roots at Town Bank

Issue #489

October 18, 2025

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather

🐳 Echoes of the Past: Tracing Cape May’s Whaling Roots at Town Bank

👻Haunted Halls and Victorian Shadows: Cape May’s Paranormal Pull

👮 Cape May Law Enforcement Leader Receives Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Daisy Lane Boutique

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇  

 October 18 

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Echoes of the Past: Tracing Cape May’s Whaling Roots at Town Bank

Long before Cape May became a charming coastal resort, it was home to a whaling settlement known as Town Bank. Established by New England settlers in the early 1600s, the community thrived on whale oil and baleen production. Overhunting caused the industry’s collapse by the mid-1700s, and residents turned to other trades. By the 1800s, whaling had vanished, giving rise to Cape May’s transformation into a seaside destination. Today, Town Bank is a quiet residential neighborhood just north of Cape May. Though little evidence of its whaling history remains, markers and memorials commemorate its origins as one of New Jersey’s earliest European settlements. The Historic Town Bank organization and local historians continue to preserve the story of how this once rugged outpost transformed into the elegant seaside destination known today.

  

Haunted Halls and Victorian Shadows: Cape May’s Paranormal Pull 

 Cape May, New Jersey — known for its Victorian architecture and coastal charm — has become a hotspot for paranormal tourism, particularly in the fall. At the center of the haunted appeal is the Emlen Physick Estate, said to be the most haunted building in New Jersey. The Physick Estate was nearly lost to demolition in the 1970s before Cape May MAC stepped in. By restoring it and leaning into its haunted history, the estate was not only preserved but transformed into a tourism powerhouse. According to those close to the site, the spirits seem content — the house remains unchanged from when they lived there, allowing them to remain undisturbed. Paranormal tours, haunted lodgings, and ghost-themed events have become major draws, helping extend tourism beyond the summer season. For those brave enough to visit, historic lodgings like Congress Hall, Hotel Macomber, and the Inn of Cape May are popular haunted stays. Meanwhile, newer accommodations like the Lokal Hotel and the eerie Fisherman’s Cottage Airbnb also add to the town’s paranormal portfolio. And after a ghost tour at the Physick Estate, visitors can calm their nerves with a meal at Vintage BYOB, a cozy upscale restaurant on the estate grounds. Once taboo, ghost tourism is now a cornerstone of Cape May’s fall economy, with locals and visitors embracing the town’s supernatural history.

Cape May Law Enforcement Leader Receives Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award

 

 Captain Ashlee Marriner of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mid-Atlantic Association of Women in Law Enforcement. Her career highlights include leadership in officer wellness, federal accreditation of the Child Abduction Response Team, and the founding of the Cape May County Child Advocacy Center. Her lifetime of service has had a lasting impact on Cape May County, both within law enforcement circles and across the broader community. The award from MAAWLE stands as a testament to her unwavering commitment to justice, integrity, and the protection of vulnerable populations. 

Which famous Victorian house museum in Cape May is believed to be haunted and was featured in the 1981 slasher film The Prowler?

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Answer to the October 17th Trivia Question

Which famous composer visited Cape May regularly and even composed a piece named after a historic hotel there?

A) Ludwig van Beethoven
B) John Philip Sousa
C) George Gershwin
D) Aaron Copland

Answer: B) John Philip Sousa

John Philip Sousa, the famous American composer and conductor, regularly visited Cape May and composed the "Congress Hall March," which he conducted on the lawn of Congress Hall in the summer of 1882.​

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