Cape May

Cape May is a peninsula, the southern tip of which is the southernmost point of the state of New Jersey, United States. It runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The cape is named for Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, a Dutch explorer who was working for the Dutch East India Company.

The city of Cape May is located in the south of the peninsula and home of the oldest seaside resort in America, with historical roots dating back to the 1700s. The entire city was designated as a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976, and many of the buildings throughout the town are original Victorian structures that have been maintained in pristine condition.

The peninsula comprises the municipalities of Middle Township, Avalon, Dennis Township, Stone Harbor, North Wildwood, West Wildwood, Wildwood, Lower Township, and Wildwood Crest, New Jersey. The region is a popular destination for Québécois tourists. It is part of the Southern Shore Region.

Cape May is also famous as one of the top birding sites in North America. Due to its location at the southern tip of New Jersey and numerous nature preserves and wildlife refuges, large concentrations of birds can be found in Cape May, especially during spring and fall migration. The Cape May Bird Observatory acts as the central coordinator of birding activities in Cape May, including the World Series of Birding, held in Cape May (and throughout New Jersey) each May.

The basic training camp of the United States Coast Guard is located in Cape May. This facility is the only training center for the United States Coast Guard in the country. Each recruit goes through eight weeks of training before they are shipped out to various locations.

History

The Kechemeche tribe of the Lenni Lenape were the first residents of the area. Each summer, the Native Americans vacationed at what is now Cape May to escape the summer heat. While there, they fished, hunted, and collected fruits before the advent of autumn mandated the return to their inland villages.

The first European to catch a glimpse of Cape May was famed navigator Henry Hudson and 18 of his crewmates on the Halve Maen. On August 28, 1609, while searching for the Northwest Passage, Hudson decided to sail up the unexplored Delaware Bay. Several miles up the coast, strong tides pulled the Halve Maen to a sandbar, and the crew was stranded until thunderstorms and wind aided the ship around the Cape May peninsula. This event was recorded by Hudson's first mate, Robert Juet.

News of his discovery sparked a search for the location of a new trading post. English explorer Samuel Argall explored the bay and named it for the governor of the Virginia Colony, Lord De La Warr. Not to be outdone, the Dutch also sent some navigators to look for suitable sites for trading ventures. Among the band of explorers were Cornelis Henderson, Adriaen Block, and Cornelis Jacobsen Mey.

The recorded history of Cape May stretches back to 1620, when captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey surveyed and named the area for himself. It later grew from a small settlement to the large beach resort it is today.

Translation of "Cape May"

Hebrew: כף מאי, Russian: Мэй (мыс).