Please click on images for larger views
The West Jersey & Seashore Railway coming into Strathmere. This train track came into Strathmere in about the same spot as where the bridge stands today.
Photo of the a-frame bridge above with the USS Shenandoah flying by.
Below is the train station which was near the West Jersey Cottages. Gus Wittkamp was the station manager there for many years. The first photo shows Gus with some other men in front of the train station. Next is a postcard showing the train going over the bay, with West Jersey Cottages in the background.
Below shows the Reading Railway, running through Strathmere. The photo on the left shows where the train came into Strathmere from across the bay. This is down near where Twistie's is today. The photo on the right is the train station, somewhere on Commonwealth. This was back when Strathmere was still 'Corson's Inlet', notice the sign on the station
The Reading station in Corson's Inlet, around 1910.
Tecumseh and Sumner in the background
The Trolley that ran from Strathmere to Townsend's Inlet. 1906. Notice the sign on the trolley that says 'Strathmere'
The Yellow Kid at the West Jersey Railway station in Corson's Inlet, 1899
Here is another photo of the Yellow Kid.
Below is the front and back image of a booklet by Pennsylvania Railroad, from 1930. It has some great vintage shore photos from Long Branch to Cape May. There are a few ads for hotels in Sea Isle and Ocean City. It has a Hotel & Boarding House list which does mention a few places in Strathmere - The Strathmere Inn which had a capacity of 45, and cost $20 per week. West Jersey Cottages Gus Wittkamp prop. held 50 people and cost $20 per week, also Sunny Cottage which held 20 people, no cost per week is listed. Click the 2nd image for a closer view.
Here is view of the original auto bridge in Strathmere, from the 1930s. This car bridge came over the bridge just below the Deauville Inn. This postcard was given to the website by Buzz Kiefer.
Excellent view of the bridge from the deck at Dr. Rosenbach's on the bay. From Ralph Forbes.
Some fishermen with their catches of the day on the left, and the bakery makes it's daily delivery. Both photos were taken in front of the West Jersey Cottages.
This issue of Field & Stream from August 1918 has a story called 'With the Big Black Drum of Corson's' written by fisherman Herbert K. Savage. It has a two page story about he and his 3 friends camping on the beach in Corson's Inlet for a Summer of fishing. The story mentions the genial Gus Wittkamp and his hotel, The West Jersey Cottage. Bertha Wittkamp had told us about fishermen camping in tents on the beach around the hotel, back when there were hardly any houses on the point. The story goes on to mention Gus yelling out to the men that Captain Nickerson from the Life Saving Station phoning him to say that he had just seen two schools of black drums off the mouth of the inlet. The rest of the story gives you some tips on fishing for black drum, like using clams for bait, and it goes on to tell more of their quest for catching black drum in Corson's Inlet. Capt Nickerson is mentioned again as catching a 50 pund black drum on the beach.
You can read the story here - Page 1 and Page 2
Click the image below to read a short paragraph from the book 'Salt Water Fishing' - it mentions the glory days of fishing in Corson's Inlet,
and also mentions Gus Wittkamp, from the West Jersey Cottage, who was host to many of the regular fisherman
This Salt Water Fishing Guide from 1937 has a few mentions of Strathmere in it. It says that bay fishing seems to be the most popular, and the surf fishing is good too. According to this booklet, from Strathmere, you could go fishing with Captain Frank L. Cobb, whose boat was 'Hattie Darling' or with Captain James E.Godfrey on his boat 'Dolphin'. Or you could rent a boat for $1 (bait and towing services were extra) from Andress, who had 20 boats, or Wermuth's, who had 35.
A whale on the beach around Vincent/Webster
An old envelope with the return address of Captain Cobb in Strathmere
Some early 1900s kiddies on the beach, most likely on the bayside, near the old West Jersey cottage.
The Wonkus Dance in Strathmere, 1922. It was held in the old schoolhouse which still stands on Vincent.
Did you know that there was once a pavilion in Strathmere?
This photo, taken about 1933, shows the pavilion which stood on the beach at the end of a pier extending from Webster.
The beach baby is Bettie Doyle Diamond, who was about 3 years old at the time the photo was taken.
Some Strathmere & shore related memorabilia
First is an old stove from a West Jersey caboose train. Please click the images for larger views
A railway switch lattern and a train bell. The 3rd photo is an old newspaper story abut racing cars on the beach in Atlantic City
Click image for larger view of newspaper.
The first hat is from Pennsylvania Rail Road. Next is a hat for a bridge toll taker. The 3rd is a train station agent hat
Click image for closer views
- Tags from 1920's events in Strathmere.
- The brass plaque was made from the wreckage of a boat that sank off of the coast of Strathmere in 1911.
- This 'Repeal 18th amdt' sign hung in the West Jersey Cottage. It was a protest against Prohibition.
- An old boat license plate from 1928
All photos and text Copyright Carol Baker. Do not copy or reproduce.
