Cape May NJ-A Proud African-American Past

A proud past at the shore

Cape May's gingerbread houses and great restaurants are reason enough to visit the country's first seaside resort.

The city is a National Historic Landmark, a preserved time capsule of Victorian architecture. Its many mansions, summer homes and hotels were built by the affluent after a devastating fire cleared 30 acres of prime real estate in November 1878.

But there is more to its story. The city's population was once 30 percent black. Drawn by job opportunities, African-Americans began settling in the city in the 1800s. They found work in the city and in the local fishing industry. They built a thriving community in the city west of Osborne Street.