Saturday, January 19, 2013

Victorian Inspired Cape May Gear ~ Vintage Fish & Starfish

The beach town of Cape May, New Jersey is the country’s oldest seaside resort, and was named after a Dutch captain by the name of Cornelius Jacobsen Mey who explored the area in the early 1600's.  It had been rumored that he traveled there for the fine fishing, and to catch a starfish or two.  The truth is he was there to chart the area and to claim it for the Nederlands.

By the 1850's people were traveling to Cape May for vacation, firmly establishing it as the nation's oldest seaside resort.  The discovery of the famous Cape May diamonds was to come many years later.  

In 1878 a nearly week long fire destroyed a large portion of the city.  In a twist of fate, the reconstruction of the city during that period ensured that nearly all of the replacement buildings were of the Victorian style.  Many of these structures remain today, and is why the entire city has been designated a National Historic Landmark.


If you're a fan of the Victorian age and it's architecture, then Cape May is the summertime destination for you.  If you've been to Cape May, then you can appreciate the following gear.  We don't know if the rumors about Captain C.J. Mey are true, but the aqua colored fish and three starfish make for great Victorian-inspired Cape May shirts, luggage tags, housewares and more.

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