Congress Hall- Cape May, NJ
At 200 years old, Congress Hall is America’s oldest seaside resort. Though life has not always been easy for the Grand Dame, she has emerged triumphant, and is once again a premier beach destination.
In 1816 the first iteration of Congress Hall was built as a simple wooden boarding house in the new seaside resort town of Cape May. While initially known as The Big House, it was renamed Congress Hall in 1828 when the owner Thomas H. Hughes was elected to the House of Representatives. This structure was lost in Cape May’s Great Fire of 1878, which also claimed most of the town. As destructive as this fire was, it is the reason Cape May is the wonderful Victorian enclave we know today. By 1879 a new, improved brick Congress Hall had risen from the ashes.
Congress Hall was wildly popular in its early years, acting as a summer retreat for several presidents, including Ulysses S. Grant, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan. Benjamin Harrison even made it his summer White House, because apparently you could do that back then. But tides soon turned, and Congress Hall closed following a bitter dispute between the owner and the city council.
A renovated Congress Hall reopened in the early 1920’s, with Cape May’s first post-prohibition cocktail bar following in 1934. The Brown Room currently sits in this location, and is a wonderful tribute; they make a mean Manhattan, and have live music on the weekends.
The hotel closed its doors again in the late 1960s, operating for the next twenty years as part of the Cape May Bible Conference. Bidding her time during an era when many of Cape May’s historic hotels were demolished, she emerged unscathed, was purchased by the current owners in 1995, and reopened in 2001 after an extensive renovation. The decor returns the hotel to the 1920’s and has a decidedly beachy feel, with pastel colors used throughout. The lobby is small, but cozy, and has a wonderful fireplace for the cooler months.
The rooms are comfortable enough, but are a bit worn, as are the hallways and common areas. I stayed in the winter, and felt the off season rates were a bit high, but historic preservation does not come cheap I suppose. I don’t think I would stay during the summer given the rates and property condition, but it does have wonderful beach access and a nice pool area, so it may be worth it for some. The hotel also has several smaller historic properties if you want a more intimate experience.
Finally, one of the great joys of going to Cape May is arriving by the ferry. The ocean was actually frozen on my voyage, which is certainly not something you see everyday. Fortunately. Clearly not optimal beach weather, however it made for a memorable trip to Congress Hall and beautiful Cape May.
