The Greatest Gift Of

Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities MAC VOLUME XLVIV, ISSUE 4 www.capemaymac.org FALL/HOLIDAY 2019 FROM THE PRESIDENT:ewsletter The greatestN gift of all At last year’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, we thanked Kathy Makowski, Sturdy Savings Bank’s Cape May Branch Manager, for the bank’s generous sponsor- ship of the event. Please join us at the Physick Estate at 7pm on Saturday, November 23 for this year’s ceremony. Sturdy Savings Bank thanked for support Sturdy Savings Bank will again be underwriting the official kick-off of our holiday season, the Christmas Tree Dave and Chris Clemans in front of the Owen Coachman House Lighting Ceremony on the Physick Estate grounds during Holiday Preview On Thursday August 29, with my award from the State of New Jersey and also Weekend. Please join us on Saturday, signature as President, MAC became a placed the Owen Coachman House on the November 23 at 7pm when Santa throws property owner for the first time. The other National Register of Historic Places. They the switch for this festive event, which also important signatures were from Chris and lived up to their promise to the former owners includes a free open house at our Physick Dave Clemans, as they presented MAC to protect these historic treasures for future House Museum, authentically decorated with the largest donation in our history, the generations and felt that MAC was the best for the holidays, as well as the opening of Whalers Cottages, barn and spectacular option to keep that promise going well into the “Old Fashioned Christmas” exhibit grounds at 1017 & 1019 Batts Lane in Lower the future. Our Board thoroughly discussed in the Carroll Gallery. Township (just South of the Canal). the obligations we are taking on with the This event is one of three occasions The Clemanses had purchased these gift and unanimously agreed to accept the this year that have been underwritten by cottages 15 years ago to save them from responsibility. Sturdy Savings’ $7,500 gift. On April demolition and launched into extensive For several years, these cottages have 9, they sponsored the annual Volunteer preservation work that won a prestigious been opened for MAC on our very successful Recognition Reception; and on June 9, Underground Railroad Trolley Tour (in they sponsored our annual Community In This Issue partnership with Center for Community Day (when we offer free admission to Coming Attractions ..........Pages 3 & 4 Arts), and we see them as a great addition to our tours and historic sites to Cape May our historical interpretation mission. At the County residents). We owe heartfelt thanks Donor Profile ..................................Page 5 Physick Estate, we present a mansion and to Sturdy Savings Bank, and especially its Education Wrap-up .................. Page 12 the lifestyle of wealthy Victorians of the late CEO (and former MAC Officer) Jerry Membership News ............Pages 6 & 8 19th Century; at the Cape May Lighthouse, Reeves, Chris Shoemaker, Dave Repici, Recent Happenings ..........Pages 2 & 12 Kathy Makowski and Larry Morier, for their most generous support. Thank You Department......Pages 7-11 (CONTINUED ON PAGE 5) MAC RECENT HAPPENINGS Summer Wrap-Up You might think we’d stop to catch our Education Division came up with a new August 3 saw our 8th Annual Craft breath when the Music Festival came to a family event for the grounds, Storytime at the Beer, Music & Crab Festival. It’s the grand- close, but you would be wrong. The late Spring Physick Estate, which was a lead-in to the daddy of the family-friendly events on the is when MAC fully gears up to entertain Physick Estate Children’s Tour on Friday grounds. PNC returned as our signature residents and visitors with a full schedule of mornings. In the evenings, the Clueless at sponsor, which allows us to dedicate the funds tours and activities. A major event, the Cape the Physick Estate crew took over the house, raised to support our educational outreach May Spring Designer House Tour on June which provided a perfect stage for “Give Up programming. As always, it featured favorite 15, was a design lover’s dream. Featuring four the Ghost,” an interactive mystery. REV summer picnic foods and local craft beers and professionally-designed seashore homes, it Theatre returned to the Estate in August for spirits. Other major sponsors included Gold was a fount of inspiration and décor ideas for its annual performances, presenting Victorian Coast Production, Nobil Food Services our tour-goers. We are grateful to our home- Vaudeville. With songs, dances, jokes and and Paramount Air Service. The weather owners who opened their doors and the many a little magic, the cast took you back to a proved to be uncomfortably warm this day, volunteers who spent their afternoon greeting sweeter, simpler time. diminishing the crowd somewhat, but the visitors. At the Lighthouse, we continued our food and beverages were abundant and those We really hit our Summer groove the popular Family Fun Days. Director of who attended seemed to enjoy themselves. As following Saturday with the Cape May Hops Special Events and Visitor Services Janice always, many hands make light work and our Festival, featuring blues, brews and BBQ. Corkery lined up an excellent array of crafts loyal volunteers came out in force to help us. The event featured lots of local favorites vendors, entertainment and kid-friendly It’s hard to believe that it’s been 23 – Bluebone on stage, yummy treats from activities for our guests. A small but lucky years since we began the Food & Wine Empanada Mama and Rolling Bones and group had the opportunity to enjoy Dinner & Celebration! This year’s edition saw the tasty brews from Cape May and Cold Fireworks on July 4. Following a delicious return of many old favorites as well as some Spring Breweries – in addition to crafts and dinner at the Red Store, the group trolleyed interesting new events. The Harvest Brew collectibles vendors from throughout the to the Lighthouse to see the fireworks from Fest has become a staple of MAC’s Fall region. It set the tone for a busy season on the watch gallery. We also offered a similar calendar. It’s really a celebration of all things the Physick Estate grounds and around town. intimate event, Dinner & Full Moon Climbs, local- music, food and brews, and spirits. The The Physick Estate was hopping with in August and September. Chefs’ Dine-Arounds remained a favorite, activities for families. Just about every Out at the World War II Lookout Tower, selling out each night. New events this year Tuesday in July and August, saw our we had some special guests. A crew from the included Fishermans Wharf Tour & Lunch Carriage House Café & Tearoom staff Army Ground Forces Association spent the at the Lobster House and Flights of Cheese whipping up breakfast buffets for families. day at the Tower, interpreting it and cleaning hosted by Steve White at Seaside Cheese. For We alternated Breakfast with the Pirates the azimuth instrument telescope. Melissa those with a sweet tooth, the choice was the with Fairy Tale Breakfasts, giving kids the Palmer introduced another new Museum Chocolate Lovers Feast at the Washington opportunity to play dress-up and indulge their Education activity, Crafts at the World War Inn. The buffet of delectable desserts did not imaginations. These events were a resounding II Tower, which drew quite a crowd to the disappoint! By the end of the week, we had success, selling out each week. Our Museum Tower on Thursday mornings. offered something for almost every taste. As the Food & Wine Celebration was winding down, we presented the Cape NEWSLETTER May Fall Designer House Tour. The four Published by The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities, a not-for-profit corporation magnificent homes on tour offered a variety of styles from cottage to mansion. More P.O. Box 340, Cape May, NJ 08204 • Phone: 609-884-5404 than 500 tour-goers joined us for this event, New Jersey Relay Center for TTY Customers: 800-852-7899 looking for design inspiration. Our thanks to Web Site: www.capemaymac.org • E-Mail: [email protected] the homeowners who opened for us and the volunteers who generously gave their day to Editor: Michael Zuckerman; Assistant Editor: Jean Barraclough host our visitors. Contributors: Tom Carroll, Susan Krysiak, Anna Marie Leeper, Mary E. Stewart, Melissa Palmer and Sandra Adams Our Friends groups have had a busy summer. The Friends of the Cape May Lighthouse had a beautiful day on July 25 OUR MISSION for their Christmas in July celebration. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Santa donned his Hawaiian shirt for the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. occasion. His MAC elves provided activities ---- v ---- and entertainment for kids of all ages. The OUR VISION Friends, ever eager to help raise funds to Preserving Cape May’s rich heritage and assuring its vitality maintain our beautiful sentinel, also held through superior cultural programs and events. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 12) PAGE 2 • FALL/HOLIDAY 2019 WWW.CAPEMAYMAC.ORG MID-ATLANTIC CENTER FOR THE ARTS & HUMANITIES (MAC) COMBINATION TROLLEY/PHYSICK Presented by the FAMILY CHRISTMAS HOUSE TOURS Mid-Atlantic Center MAC Nov. 22-Jan. 1, 2020. Daily (No tours Thanksgiving or Christmas). Hours vary: for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) Enjoy a guided trolley tour of Cape May’s festive Historic District, followed by a guided tour of the 1879 Physick House Museum, Coming decorated in true Victorian style for Christmas, presented through the eyes of a member of ATTRACTIONS the Physick family in the early 1900s.

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