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Cape May, New Jersey, circa 1913. "Life saving station at Cape May Point." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Cape May began hosting vacationers from Philadelphia in the mid 1700s and is recognized by the United States government as the country's oldest seaside resort. It became increasingly popular in the 18th century and was considered one of the finest resorts in America by the 19th century. Cape May is noted for its large number of well-maintained Victorian houses — the second largest collection of such homes in the nation after San Francisco. In 1976, the entire city of Cape May was officially designated a National Historic Landmark (Cape May Historic District). It is the only city in the United States wholly designated as such. That designation is intended to ensure the architectural preservation of these buildings.
After saving your life in the surf, I imagine the lifeguards here would bring you inside, dry you off and get you a nice cup of tea. In addition, the house itself would fit well into any new urbanist neighborhood of the 21st century.
That location is now in the ocean--there's been some terrible erosion at Cape May Point over the last century.
Where are the Katzenjammer Kids?
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