Lower Township near Cape May in Cape May County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
S.S. Atlantus
Remains of experimental concrete ship. One of twelve built during World War 1. Proven impractical after several Trans-Atlantic trips because of weight.
In 1926, the Atlantus was purchased by Colonel Jesse Rosenfeld to be used as a ferry dock in Cape May, New Jersey for a proposed ferry between Cape May and Cape Henlopen, DE. On June 8th, a storm hit and the ship broke free of her moorings and ran aground 150 feet off the coast of Sunset Beach. Several attempts were made to free the ship, but none were successful.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, World I • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1859.
Location. 38° 56.669′ N, 74° 58.201′ W. Marker is near Cape May, New Jersey, in Cape May County. It is in Lower Township. Marker is on Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606) when traveling west. Marker is located at the western end of Sunset Blvd. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cape May NJ 08204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Ens. Harry V. Groome, Jr. (here, next to this marker); Slaughter in Cape May (within shouting distance of this marker); Dr. Witmer Stone: Noted Ornithologist, 1866 - 1939 (within shouting distance of this marker); All Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); The abrupt end of Fort Miles (approx. 0.2 miles away); Landscape (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fire Control Tower No. 23 (approx. 0.2 miles away); History of Coastal Defenses (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape May.
More about this marker. The marker contains a photograph of the S.S. Atlantus.
Also see . . . S. S. Atlantus. Details about the ship from ConcreteShips.org. (Submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,079 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 19, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 6, 7. submitted on April 26, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.