West Cape May, New Jersey
West Cape May is a Walsh Act borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 1,024, reflecting a decline of 71 from the 1,095 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 69 from the 1,026 counted in the 1990 Census.
West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1890, and again on May 4, 1897. The borough's name derives from Cape May, which was named for 1620 Dutch captain named Cornelius Jacobsen May who explored and charted the area between 1611–1614, and established a claim for the province of New Netherland.
During Hurricane Sandy in October 2012, West Cape May was hit by of rain, the most of any place in the state.
West Cape May had been a dry town until May 2012, when a new store opened after the Board of Commissioners approved the sale of a liquor license for more than $600,000. In 2008, voters approved a referendum that allowed the issuance of a single license for retail liquor sales and another for sale of alcoholic beverages at a restaurant. The borough had been dry for 128 years, where alcohol cannot be sold, affirmed by the results of a referendum held in 1940, joining Cape May Point, Ocean City and Wildwood Crest among municipalities in Cape May restricting the sale of alcohol.
History
The borough's history goes back to the time of the Lenape Native Americans and several buildings date to the Colonial period. The area has a rich agricultural history which continues to be celebrated each year with a summer farmers' market, and strawberry, tomato and lima bean festivals. It has been known as the "Lima Bean Capital of the World." The Lima Bean Festival is an annual event held in West Cape May, New Jersey, the "Lima Bean Capital of the World", and is the world's only such celebration. It is held annually on the Saturday of Columbus Day weekend in Wilbraham Park.West Cape May, once known as Eldredge, is one of the four jurisdictions that comprise Cape Island in Cape May County. West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1890, and again on May 4, 1897.
The Borough has reported ties to the Underground Railroad.
From 1881 to 1931, the Hastings Goldbeating Company was located in the Borough employing women to pound one-inch strips of gold into gossamer-thin sheets used for decorative arts. Women continued to do the "booking" of gold leaf sheets until 1961. A plaque indicating the location of the factory can be found on Goldbeaten Alley. It was this business, along with real estate speculation and subdivision of the land, that led to the Borough's incorporation in 1884.
Historic sites
The historic core of the Borough was placed on the National Register of Historic Places along with sections of the City of Cape May in 1976.Whilldin-Miller House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 2003. The original timber frame two-story house remaining in the rear was built by Joseph Whilldin about 1715, while the front portion of the house was built in 1860, making it one of the oldest remaining houses on Cape Island.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.175 square miles, including 1.165 square miles of land and 0.010 square miles of water.The borough borders the Cape May County municipalities of Cape May City and Lower Township.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $48,281 and the median family income was $51,394. Males had a median income of $42,361 versus $43,860 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,328. About 8.4% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density was 923.5 people per square mile. There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 846.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 84.11% White, 14.52% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.55% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.There were 507 households, out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.6% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $47,031. Males had a median income of $36,375 versus $29,583 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,663. About 4.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
The Borough of West Cape May has operated under the Walsh Act Commission form of government since 1948. The Board of Commissioners is comprised of three members, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections held as part of the November general election and serve four-year, concurrent terms of office. Once the Commissioners take office, they divide up responsibility for the municipal departments, with each Commissioner serving as a Department Director and holds all the executive, administrative, judicial and legislative powers, with no single chief executive. An ordinance adopted by the Board of Commissioners in December 2012 shifted the borough's municipal elections from May to November., the borough's commissioners are
Mayor Carol E. Sabo,
Deputy Mayor Peter C. Burke and
John H. Francis III, who are all serving concurrent terms of office that end December 31, 2021.
Carol Sabo was appointed in early 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Ramsay Geyer, who had resigned to move out of the borough. Kaithern, Burke and Sabo were all re-elected in November 2013.
Federal, state and county representation
West Cape May is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 776 registered voters in West Cape May, of which 249 were registered as Democrats, 284 were registered as Republicans and 241 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.0% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.2%, and other candidates with 1.7%, among the 640 ballots cast by the borough's 830 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 35.0%, with 615 ballots cast among the borough's 752 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.5% of the vote, outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 38.5%, with 623 ballots cast among the borough's 818 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.8% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 37.6%, and other candidates with 2.5%, among the 582 ballots cast by the borough's 816 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 52.2% of the vote, ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 39.0% and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.0%, with 469 ballots cast among the borough's 778 registered voters, yielding a 60.3% turnout.
Education
The West Cape May School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at West Cape May Elementary School. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 103 students and 9.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.8:1, making it one of the districts with the smallest enrollment in the state.For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship. Schools in the district are
Richard M. Teitelman Middle School and
Lower Cape May Regional High School. The district's board of education has nine members, who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year Seats on the board are allocated based on population, with West Cape May assigned one seat.
In 2013, the Lower Cape May Regional School District received a feasibility study that looked at ways to reconfigure the district, which had been established in 1956. The study considered Cape May City withdrawing from the regional district or the dissolution of the district, converting Lower Township's existing PreK-6 district to serve PreK-12, as the regional district's school facilities are located in the township. Cape May City and West Cape May could see annual savings approaching a combined $6 million from the dissolution.
Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in Cape May Court House, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Cape May County.No Interstate, U.S., state or major county highways serve West Cape May. The most significant roads in the borough are minor county routes, such as County Route 607.