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1893 Map of Cape May

Name: 1893 Topographic Map of Cape May
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1912
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1912

About this map

The tip of the Cape May peninsula is defined by a dense network of late 19th-century rail infrastructure and coastal life saving stations. At this time, the southern Jersey Shore was a patchwork of developing resort towns and vital maritime markers. The West Jersey and Seashore R.R. and the Atlantic City R.R. provide clear evidence of the era's expanding tourism and transportation routes, terminating at Cape May City and Holly Beach.

The landscape is dominated by the intricate waterways and barrier islands of the Atlantic coast, including Jarvis Sound and the now-altered inlets like Turtle Gut Inlet. Life saving stations are frequently spaced along the coast, such as the L.S. Station Bay Shore and L.S. Station Cold Spring, highlighting the perils of coastal navigation before modern technology. Near the southern terminus, the iconic Cape May Light stands at Cape May Point, marking the entrance to the Delaware Bay.