South Cape May

New Jersey's ghost towns are bog-iron villages and mill towns in the Pine Barrens.

South Cape May was a borough that existed in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, from 1894 to 1945. The borough was established on August 27, 1894, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held six days earlier. The borough was heavily wrecked after the 1936 Nor'easter, and was ultimately destroyed by the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane, which hit in September of that year. After the hurricane, the borough was dissolved as of April 30, 1945, and returned to Lower Township.

The on-the-ground condition of South Cape May is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to South Cape May is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for South Cape May is roughly 38.9330, -74.9420 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.