West-Jersey pioneer., 1875-06-10
For the w. ]. PIONEER.
cEA GROVE

For the w. j. PIONEER
SEA GROVE.
At the extreme southern end of the State
of New Jersey, as every school boy very
we'll knows, is the far-famed Cape May
although it is no uncommon thing to find
Cape May City and Cape May Point spoken
of as the same locality, Notwithstanding the
fact that there is distance of about two
miles between these places; of course this is
not great when we compare it with the
grand coast front of the entire State. 1t
appears that when the founders of Cape
May City began their settlement their OBJ
ject was to get as much Of the Ocean Beach
as possible, outside and away from the Del
aware Bay, and at the same time retain a
full view of the Point. 1t has often been
wondered at that some one had not built
even small cottage for guests at this Point,
and the reason why could hardly be an
swered. Severed years ago, however, a
number of gentlemen from New York un-
dertook the organization of a company for
the development of this site, but not pos
sessing sufficient funds to put their project
into execution, the effort was abandoned.
Years have come and gone leaving Cape
May Point the same dreary wilderness until
this spring, when Mr.. Alexander Whilldin,
(the well-known enterprising Wool Mer-
chant of No. 30 South Front Street, Phila-
delphia, became inspired with the idea that
an Incorporated Company might, by the
Divine blessing, establish at this spot
Seaside Resort where the care-worn and
weary Minister, the Merchant, the Profess
sional Man, and the Artisan could recuper-
ate their energies and spend a portion, if
not all, of their summer months away from
the heated city, in the enjoyment of liberty,
the pursuit of happiness and the worship of
God. To this end an organization was
Immediately effected, and number of
wellknown Christ ian gentlemen, most of
whom are in onnection with the Presby-
terian Church, united with Mr.. Whilldin,
and became incorporated as the Sea Grove
Association. Mr.. Whilldin was chosen as
their President, and contracts were at once
entered into for laying out the town, grad
ing the streets, building large hotel, also
number of pretty cottages and magnifi-
cent Pavilion to be dedicated to the service
of God.
These operations were accordingly com
menced in the latter part of the month of
March, of this year qs75), and behold the
change! What was then complete will
derness of short pine and oak trees and un-
dergrowth is now a most beautiful village,
with fine wide avenues, that would do honor
to city, diverging from the Pavilion as
centre and extending to the Ocean on the
east, to the Point at the south, to the Bay
on the west and the lovely Fresh Water
Lake on the north, around which fine
carriage road is now completed. At regu-
lar intervals these avenues are intersected
by streets, varying in width from so to 100
feet, which extend in somewhat circuitous
form around the centre until the Beach
Avenue is reached; this fine drive is being
rapidly pushed to completion and will make,
when finished, one continuous carriage way
from the upper end of Cape May City
around the Point to the Beach on Delaware
Bay, thence on to the Steamboat Landing
We can imagine no more elegant ride than
along this magnificent Beach just as the
sun is setting across the Bay.
The Hotel is located on the ocean side of
the town directly at the shore; it is COM
modious building, containing about 1874
rooms and will be under the very best of
management.
Regular Sabbath services will be held in
the Pavilion and varied entertainments
NAV be avnaotod obI,or evenings of tho
week during the summer months.
The lots upon the main avenues will be
sold for the erection of dwellings, the inten-
tion of the Association being to avoid, if
possible, the erection of any store buildings
uponthe avenues leading from the Pavilion
There are cross streets of sufficient width
for business purposes, as there are none of
less than so feet width within the present
limits of Sea Grove.
The greatest care has been observed in
the erection of cottages to have them COM
modious and serviceable as we'll as inexpen-
sive and, at the same time, remarkably
neat and attractive.
A very fine cottage has just been COM
pleted in which Mr.. Whilldin and his family
expect to spend their summer. Mr.. John
Wanamaker, with whom nearly all man.
kind are directly or indirectly acquainted
through their knowledge of his mammoth
Oak Hall Clothing Establishment at Sixth
and Market Streets, Philadelphia), is now
erecting handsome dwelling house on the
Beach very near the point. A number of
lots have been purchased by Philadelphians
who are now busily preparing for pleasant
sojourn by the sea.
The West Jersey Railroad Company has
arranged to grant special privileges to those
who erect cottages at Sea Grove this season.
The organization of Horse Car Company
is talked of, who will run cars at regular
intervals from the West Jersey Railroad
Depot to the Steamboat Landing. dis
tance of two and half miles upon the
Turnpike Road, which passes directly along
the northern edge of Sea Grove. This road
has lately heen thoroughly repaired In
fact new life has sprung up in almost every
department of Cape May proper, notwith-
standing the backwardness of the season on
account of the unusually cool weather dur
ing the month of May. A marked i'm
provement in Streets, Houses and Hotels is
noticeable and the past seems to be forgot
ten in the grand rush of the present. Hun
dreds are Fastening hither from every
quarter of the land, to say nothing of the
thousands that will run down on the nu-
io.ac nE4 4Ion f.o,,