The fire that started on November 8, 1878 and spread from the Ocean House on Perry Street to engulf 40 acres of hotels, stores and houses in flames was one of the most devastating and furious fires of the era. The economic impact lasted for years and forced Cape May to begin a spurt of construction in the two decades that followed, producing a legacy of Victorian architecture for which Cape May is now famous.

       But that was long ago and far away, so long ago that our appreciation of the town's losses are hard to comprehend. For a different perspective on their loss, we ask what would the town lose now if the same area burned out of existence again today, 125 years later? Given fire fighting capabilities, manpower and preparedness, such a catastrophe is highly unlikely; but a summary of the lost businesses and buildings might help us understand today what the impact must have been like in 1878.

If the same acreage were destroyed today, what would no longer exist in Cape May?
 See the table below the map. Click thumbnails to enlarge images.
1.  Victorian Motel, 4 private residences and rental properties

2.

The recently refurbished Congress Hall, The Blue Pig restaurant, Shops of Congress Hall including the Cape May Day Spa, Uncle Bill's Pancake House
3, One whole block of Washington Mall including Cape May Popcorn Factory, the Whale'sTale, Christmas Plus, Golden Gull,Wave One,Import Bazaar, Stumpo's Italian Grill, Andrew's Antiques, Fralinger's candy store, Good Scents
4. Sea Villa, King's Cottage, 4 private residences, The Star Suites, the shops of Carpenter Square Mall, the Merry Widow, Prince Edward Suites, The Beacon Suites, Saltwood House, The Woodward House The Puffin
Inn at 22 Jackson, all of the "7 Sisters" Hot Dog Tommy's, The Acroteria, Shark Bait, Summer Sea Surf shop, Samantha's, Brad's Beachfront Cafe, Coffee Tyme, Leather Shop,  Season's Cafe, George's Place and the residences and apartments above the stores and restaurants.
5.  The Virginia Hotel, the Ebbitt Room, Carroll Villa and the Mad Batter, Poor Richards Inn Private home
The Tides Condominium Complex, Putt-putt Minature Golf, Carney's (both "rooms"), Shirt shops of Cape May, Sweet Things, Faria's Surf Shop, Cabana's (both restaurants), The Merion Inn, Antique and gift shop, the Goodman House, Sugarplum, 4 private residences.
 6. 1st Presbyterian Church, Cape May Public Library, the Queen Victoria (both structures, The Manse
2 private residences
7. Marquis de Lafayette Hotel, The Pelican Club restaurant, the Fin Bar, the Elward House, Columbia House, the Celtic Inn, Leith Hall, the Shy Pelican
8. Ocean House, Beauclaire's, Sea View House, the Inn of Cape May, Aleathea's restaurant, the Avondale by the Sea  Motel

    The potential losses today would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars in property alone. Not lost would be Whiskers, the business that now occupies the same building that housed a drug store where towns people stopped the blaze from spreading further 125 years ago.