Historical Markers and War Memorials in Lower Township, New Jersey
Cape May is the county seat for Cape May County
Cape May is in Cape May County
Cape May County(169) ► ADJACENT TO CAPE MAY COUNTY Atlantic County(280) ► Cumberland County(85) ► Kent County, Delaware(266) ► Sussex County, Delaware(509) ►
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On Light House Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Reported permanently removed.
Primary seacoast lights were located to warn mariners of their proximity to land, the presence of navigational dangers, and to help set their course. By 1852, however, lighthouses and lightships often looked so much alike that it was difficult to . . . — — Map (db m114571) HM
Near Sunset Boulevard (County Road 606) 0.2 miles west of Cape Avenue, on the left when traveling west.
This eternal flame honors not only the veterans of World War II of the Cape May area but also the area veterans who have nobly carried forth the torch of defending our nation. — — Map (db m209358) WM
On Lexington Road, 0.1 miles north of Breakwater Road (County Road 613), on the right when traveling north.
Formerly Naval Air Station Wildwood during World War II, the airport served as a base for dive bomber squadrons. Thirty-six airmen perished while training at this site from 1943 - 1945. — — Map (db m191062) HM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
From 1940 to 1945, Cape May was bustling with military activity. The Army, Navy and Coast Guard all had bases in the area. Throughout the war years, Cape May continued to operate as a coastal resort and promote itself to visitors. Tourism, however, . . . — — Map (db m34614) HM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
White Construction of New York was the contractor for this fire control tower. They used a “sliding form” or “slip form,” allowing for a continuous pour of concrete. In June of 1942, about fourteen piles were driven into the ground. Two wooden . . . — — Map (db m34978) HM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Route 606) when traveling west.
Near this site May 23, 1945, Ens. Groome perished in the bay while on a Corsair training flight from Naval Air Station Wildwood. — — Map (db m34611) HM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
This tower was built to house a sophisticated system for aiming the guns of Fort Miles. From Fire Control Towers along the coast, soldiers would determine the exact location of an enemy ship using the geometric principle of triangulation. Each of . . . — — Map (db m34616) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
September winds from the north and northwest gently push millions of migrating monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) to the Atlantic coast. Many are funneled southward through the Cape May peninsula. Thus begins the 2000-mile journey to . . . — — Map (db m43982) HM
Historic Cold Spring Village is an outdoor living history museum that interprets farmwomen’s domestic life in the mid-19th century as part of its activities and exhibits. While men struggled to raise crops and care for animals on the small . . . — — Map (db m92378) HM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
During the late 18th century, the first coastal defenses built in the United States were earthen forts constructed on high points near important harbors. Soon thereafter, star-shaped stone forts were built in the years leading up to the War of 1812. . . . — — Map (db m34612) HM
On Seashore Road (County Road 626) at Bottle Creek Drive, on the right when traveling south on Seashore Road.
In memory
of those who made the
supreme sacrifice
World War II
William M. Costell • Harvey Franck • Lewis Garrison • Douglass Ginder • Charles Goodacre • Vernon B. Foster • Maurice C. Halbruner • Edward N. Hunter • John B. Kaighn, . . . — — Map (db m191080) WM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
The original landscape of this site was typical of the Cape May peninsula – hollies and red cedars interspersed with beach plums and native grasses. When the Army constructed these cylindrical towers, the original landscape was disturbed. The Army . . . — — Map (db m34980) HM
Near Light House Ave (County Route 629) at Lehigh Avenue.
From the time the current lighthouse was built in 1859 to the time it was electrified around 1933, four keepers, their assistants, and their families lived and worked on this landscape by the sea.
The keepers and their periods of service . . . — — Map (db m114569) HM
Near Light House Avenue (County Road 629) at Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Primary seacoast lights were located to warn mariners of their proximity to land, areas of danger, and to help set the course. Sandy Hook and Navesink Twin Lights marked the entrance to New York Harbor. Cape May and Cape Henlopen Lighthouses . . . — — Map (db m206412) HM
On Light House Avenue (County Road 629) at Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south on Light House Avenue.
This boat represents an integral part of U.S. Lifesaving Service and U.S. Coast Guard history. It is a 26-foot lifesaving boat, "Monomoy" Class, circa 1800s-1930s. This class of rescue boat originated in New England and was regularly used in Cape . . . — — Map (db m206415) HM
On Light House Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Reported damaged.
This structure was built in 1893 to house the kerosene used to power the light. Until 1893, the Lighthouse’s oil was stored in the vestibule house at the entrance to the tower. Moving it to a separate building reduced the risk of fire in the . . . — — Map (db m114573) HM
Near Light House Avenue (County Road 629) at Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
This structure was built in 1893 to house the kerosene used to power the light.
Lighthouses were generally powered by Sperm Whale oil until its price rose dramatically in the 1850s. In the mid-1870s, kerosene, which was less expensive than . . . — — Map (db m206416) HM
Near Seashore Road (County Road 626) 0.4 miles north of Academy Street (County Road 639), on the right when traveling north.
Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) is the dominant tree of the New Jersey Pine Barrens and was a major source of pitch and timber used in ship building. It was also used for railroad ties due to its high resin content which preserves it from decay. Pitch . . . — — Map (db m191072) HM
Near Shore Road (U.S. 9) 1.8 miles north of Sandman Boulevard (U.S. 9), on the left when traveling north.
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra): Native Americans used the fruits fresh for beverages, breads, cakes, dumplings and preserves. Dried fruits are mixed with animal fat for pemmican (a paste of dried and pounded meat mixed with melted fat and other . . . — — Map (db m191076) HM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606) when traveling west.
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 . . . — — Map (db m34608) HM
Near Seashore Road (County Road 626) 0.4 miles north of Academy Road (County Road 639), on the right when traveling north.
Southern Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) is abundant in Cape May County woodlands. Native Americans used the long, sinuous stems as a natural toothbrush and the wood for its straight arrow shafts. Attracts Eastern Bluebird, Northern Flicker, Gray . . . — — Map (db m191074) HM
Near Seashore Road (Route 626) 0.3 miles north of Academy Road (County Road 639), on the right when traveling north.
This large Southern Red Oak tree is known for its turkey foot shaped leaves. The woodlands of Bradner's Run host a variety of oaks. Oak trees offer a wide variety of natural and cultural resource benefits. The acorns are an important food source to . . . — — Map (db m191070) HM
On Seashore Road (County Road 626) 0.4 miles north of Academy Street (County Road 639) when traveling north.
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), also known as Swamp Magnolia, was a plant prized by early settlers and sent back to Europe as early as 1688. Its mild lemony-scented flowers bloom continuously from spring through summer. Magnolia seeds ripen . . . — — Map (db m191073) HM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
The Army started dismantling Fort Miles before it was even finished – not in the face of enemy invasion but because advances in warfare made it instantly obsolete. In fact, as early as 1943, construction of the entire nationwide Harbor Defense . . . — — Map (db m34976) HM
Near Light House Avenue (County Road 629) at Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Construction of the Cape May Lighthouse is being supported in part by a National Maritime Heritage grant administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
This lighthouse was built in 1859 by the Army Corps of Engineers, . . . — — Map (db m206417) HM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
As war clouds gathered in the late 1930s, the Army started building massive fortifications at the entrance to the Delaware River and Bay. Called Fort Miles, the main batteries and headquarters were at Cape Henlopen, Delaware, near the main . . . — — Map (db m39716) HM
Near Sunset Boulevard (County Road 606) east of West Drive, on the right when traveling east.
What Happened in South Cape May?
From the mid-1800s to the 1940s, South Cape may was a quaint vacation town complete with hotels, bathhouses, a railroad and a popular beach.
Over time, storms took a heavy toll on the town and the . . . — — Map (db m209365) HM
On Sunset Blvd. (County Route 606), on the left when traveling west.
At the top of the Fire Tower are the slits for the observation level and the rooftop platform. As it was being designed, there was debate about whether the Cape May tower should have one, two or three observation levels. In March 23, 1942, it was . . . — — Map (db m34979) HM
On Seashore Road (County Road 626) 0.4 miles north of Academy Road (County Road 639), on the right when traveling north.
This large double trunk Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) produces tulip shaped flowers that are large, brilliant, and numerous. Their color is greenish yellow with dashes of red and orange. The flower's red base guides bees to the flower's . . . — — Map (db m191067) HM
For some 180 years, a lighthouse beacon has stood here at the southern tip of New Jersey, guarding the entrance to Delaware Bay. The present tower was constructed in 1859. Standing 157˝ feet tall, it is the third lighthouse on this site, . . . — — Map (db m114572) HM
Near Light House Avenue (County Road 629) at Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
For almost two centuries, a lighthouse beacon has stood here at the southern tip of New Jersey, guarding the entrance to the Delaware Bay. The present tower was constructed in 1859. Standing 157˝ feet tall, it is the third lighthouse on this . . . — — Map (db m206413) HM
On Shore Road (U.S. 9) 1.6 miles north of Sandman Boulevard (U.S. 9), on the left.
Bradner's Run is a freshwater stream which runs along the southern edge of Historic Cold Spring Village. It travels under the Garden State Parkway and then meets the salt marsh of the intracoastal waterway. It is named for John Bradner, first . . . — — Map (db m191078) HM
On Seashore Road (County Route 626) 0.4 miles north of Academy Road (County Road 639), on the right when traveling north.
Bradner's Run is a freshwater stream which runs along the southern edge of Historic Cold Spring Village. It travels under the Garden State Parkway and then meets the salt marsh of the intracoastal waterway. It is named for John Bradner, first . . . — — Map (db m191071) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
From April to October, New Jersey’s bats feed almost exclusively on nocturnal insects, eliminating thousands of mosquitoes and flying pests each night. But when winter comes, most bats migrate to find alternative food sources or hibernation roosts. . . . — — Map (db m43974) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Whales and dolphins, known collectively as cetaceans, visit New Jersey’s coastal waters and the Delaware Estuary during the warmer months. Their migratory movements may be a reflection of the changing locations of their prey: fish, crustaceans, . . . — — Map (db m43975) HM
Near Lighthouse Road (County Road 629) south of Lehigh Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Most shore bathers soon realize the back-and-forth motion of the waves breaking on the shore not only stirs the sand but also persistently carries them along the beach. This unseen force is called a "longshore" or "littoral" current. In general, . . . — — Map (db m206418) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Coastlines, rivers, and systems of mountain ridges provide geographic guides for the fall raptor migration in the northeast. This results in concentrations along certain routes and usually provides exceptional viewing opportunities in places like . . . — — Map (db m44000) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
On one recent September day, over 400,000 dragonflies swarmed Cape May. Migrating dragonflies may form swarms between late July and the middle of October, and most often during September. These harmless insects become more concentrated at . . . — — Map (db m43979) HM
On Seashore Road (County Route 626) at Earl Drive, on the right when traveling north on Seashore Road.
The Cape May Division of the Atlantic City (Philadelphia & Reading) Railroad ran from Winslow Junction to Cape May City with branches to Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, and Wildwood.
This railroad was initially instrumental in the . . . — — Map (db m114600) HM
Near Lighthouse Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Each spring, the Delaware Bay shore is inundated with hundreds of thousands of shorebirds migrating north from Central and South America. For many of them, this is the final rest stop before continuing to their Arctic breeding grounds. Shorebirds . . . — — Map (db m43986) HM
The Bunker or Gun Emplacement was built in 1942 during World War II by the Sea-bees as part of the “Harbor Defense Program”.
When completed it was on ground and sat 900 feet (three football fields) inland from the ocean. Severe erosion . . . — — Map (db m94385) WM
This bunker or gun emplacement was built in 1942. The round turrets on either side held 6 inch guns. The horseshoe shaped structures which can be seen out in front of low tide are Panama mounts. These were built in July 1941 prior to the . . . — — Map (db m149205) HM
On Bayshore Road at Town Bank Road, on the right when traveling south on Bayshore Road.
New England and Long Island Whalemen first settled Cape May on the Delaware Bay Shore about 1685. To the sandy bluff called Town Bank came Joseph Willdin and his wife, Hannah Gorham, grandchild of John Howland, the Mayflower Pilgrim. — — Map (db m209367) HM
On Forrestal Road just west of Langley Road, on the left when traveling west.
Raymond P. Ellis - Mayville •
Margin G. Tozour - USA - Mayville - 1968 •
William C. Lamon, Jr. - USMC - North Cape May - 1967 •
Bruce Ruppert Heil - North Wildwood - 1971 •
Bernard J. Moran, Jr. - USMC - North Wildwood - 1971 •
William . . . — — Map (db m191063) WM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Road 606) 0.4 miles west of Cape Avenue, on the right when traveling east.
1890, when Whitmer Stone first observed the spectacle of fall hawk migration in Cape May it was accompanied by the continuous sound of gunfire.
Dr. Stone:
⬥ devoted more than 50 years of service to the Academy of . . . — — Map (db m209361) HM
On Sunset Boulevard (County Road 606) 0.4 miles west of Cape Avenue, on the left when traveling west.
Look around you.
Every year, in this location, thousands of migrating birds were slaughtered.
Cape May's location leads large numbers of migrating birds to rest and feed here before continuing their long journeys. In the late 19th and . . . — — Map (db m209364) HM
