West Cape May, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
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 United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,095.
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, 1900, and again on May 4, 1897.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
West Cape May borders Lower Township
and Cape May City
of 2000, there were 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 923.5 people per square mile (355.3/km2). There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 846.8 per square mile (325.8/km2). 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.
Commission form of government
since 1948. The Board of Commissioners consists of three members, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections and serve four-year, concurrent terms.
Once the Commissioners take office, they divide up responsibility for the municipal departments. Each Commissioner becomes a Department Director and holds all the executive, administrative, judicial and legislative powers. There is no single chief executive.
In West Cape May, the Departments are currently distributed as follows:
West Cape May is in the
serves students in Prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school had an enrollment of 56 students in the 2005-06 school year, making it one of the schools with the smallest enrollment in the state.
For grades 7 - 12, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District
, which serves students from Cape May City
, 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 (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Richard M. Teitelman School (grades 7 and 8; 647 students) and
Lower Cape May Regional High School
(grades 9-12; 1,195).
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 was once known as the "Lima Bean Capital of the World."
West Cape May, formerly 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 still did 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.
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.
Capital of the World", and is the world's only such celebration. It is held every year in Wilbraham Park on October 6 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There are Lima Bean chili, Lima Bean soup, Lima bean Salad, Lima Bean Earrings, Lima Bean Tee shirts, Lima Bean candles, Lima Bean birdhouses, Lima Bean cookbooks...in addition to the real live article - baskets of fresh lima beans. A lima bean king and queen are crowned every year. The festival is to honor West Cape May's agricultural heritage.
Walsh Act (New Jersey)
The Walsh Act is legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissions in Walsh Act municipalities are composed of either...
borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Ocean City
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,095.
West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township
Lower Township, New Jersey
Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945....
, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1900, and again on May 4, 1897.
Geography
West Cape May is located at 38.938621°N 74.932708°W (38.938621, -74.932708).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.
West Cape May borders Lower Township
Lower Township, New Jersey
Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945....
and Cape May City
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 923.5 people per square mile (355.3/km2). There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 846.8 per square mile (325.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 84.11% White, 14.52% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.55% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Local government
The Borough of West Cape May has operated under the Walsh ActWalsh Act (New Jersey)
The Walsh Act is legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissions in Walsh Act municipalities are composed of either...
Commission form of government
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
since 1948. The Board of Commissioners consists of three members, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections and serve four-year, concurrent terms.
Once the Commissioners take office, they divide up responsibility for the municipal departments. Each Commissioner becomes a Department Director and holds all the executive, administrative, judicial and legislative powers. There is no single chief executive.
In West Cape May, the Departments are currently distributed as follows:
- Pamela Kaithern - Mayor and Commissioner of Revenue and FinanceCommissioner of Revenue and FinanceThe Commissioner of Revenue and Finance heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance...
- Peter C. Burke - Deputy Mayor and Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public PropertyCommissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public PropertyThe Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a three-member commission...
- Ramsey Geyer - Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public SafetyCommissioner of Public Affairs and Public SafetyThe Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a three-member commission...
Federal, state and county representation
West Cape May is in the 2nd Congressional district.West Cape May is in the
Education
The West Cape May Elementary SchoolWest Cape May Elementary School
West Cape May Elementary School is a community public school district and elementary school located in West Cape May, New Jersey, United States that serves students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade....
serves students in Prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school had an enrollment of 56 students in the 2005-06 school year, making it one of the schools with the smallest enrollment in the state.
For grades 7 - 12, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District
Lower Cape May Regional School District
The Lower Cape May Regional School District is regional public school district headquartered in Lower Township, New Jersey, United States...
, which serves students from Cape May City
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
, Lower Township
Lower Township, New Jersey
Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945....
and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point
Cape May Point, New Jersey
Cape May Point is a borough located at the tip of the Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the resident population was 291...
who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Richard M. Teitelman School (grades 7 and 8; 647 students) and
Lower Cape May Regional High School
Lower Cape May Regional High School
The Lower Cape May Regional High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Lower Township, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Lower Cape May Regional School District. LCMRHS serves students from four communities in Cape May County as part of the Lower Cape...
(grades 9-12; 1,195).
History
The Borough's history goes back to the time of the LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
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 was once known as the "Lima Bean Capital of the World."
West Cape May, formerly known as Eldredge, is one of the four jurisdictions that comprise Cape Island
Cape Island
Cape Island is a man made island at the southern tip of Cape May County, New Jersey. The island consists of Cape May, Cape May Point, West Cape May and portions of Lower Township...
in Cape May County. West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township
Lower Township, New Jersey
Lower Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,945....
, 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
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
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 still did 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.
The historic core of the Borough was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
along with sections of the City of Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
in 1976.
Culture
The Lima Bean Festival is an annual event held in West Cape May, New Jersey, the "Lima BeanLima bean
Phaseolus lunatus is a legume. It is grown for its seed, which is eaten as a vegetable. It is commonly known as the lima bean or butter bean.-Origin and uses:...
Capital of the World", and is the world's only such celebration. It is held every year in Wilbraham Park on October 6 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There are Lima Bean chili, Lima Bean soup, Lima bean Salad, Lima Bean Earrings, Lima Bean Tee shirts, Lima Bean candles, Lima Bean birdhouses, Lima Bean cookbooks...in addition to the real live article - baskets of fresh lima beans. A lima bean king and queen are crowned every year. The festival is to honor West Cape May's agricultural heritage.
External links
- West Cape May NJ website
- West Cape May Elementary School
- Data for West Cape May Elementary School, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Lower Cape May Regional School District
- The Cape May Gazette - Weekly newspaper covering West Cape May