Higbees beach research

[JChambers]

Higbee's beach research

Some of my local fellow hunters and I are trying to organize a hunt on higbees beach but can't find out any of the local history of the place. The only thing that keeps comming up are about the nudist colonies that were there and about bird watching. Does anyone know anything about the area, or at least "old man Higbee's" first name? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanx much,
J

 

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[fyrfighter17]

Re: Higbee's beach research

http://www.delcoghosts.com/higbee.html


above link is all I could scrounge up on higbees beach,there were a few saying the state now owned it and it was part of a wildlife management area now the below link may be of some help

http://www.cmpnj.com/history.html

 

[erik12152003]

Re: Higbee's beach research

The two names I have found are wardell and joesph higbee they are names in Joe Jordan's book on cape may.

 

[BEACHFARMER]

Re: Higbee's beach research

I was surfing for some information on some of my ancestors when I found this enquiry about HIGBEE'S BEACH in Cape May County, New Jersey.

I don't have in my possion any documentation to back this up but it is my understanding that my ancestors may have been among the first Europeans to whale directly off the beaches of Cape May at a time when the whales would migrate closer to the shore than they do now. Because the whales would come up into the bay, beaches on the bay side of the Cape May peninsula would have been very attractive places from which to launch the long boats with which whales were hunted.

When the whales got wise to being hunted they began to migrate further off shore. This then necessitated hunting them from larger ships that could safely sail in the ocean. Considering that the men hunting the whales resided in New England and that they would have had better access to larger ships and ports it would seem logical that they would have returned there.

Considering the abundance of other resources from the sea and the longer growing season for growing crops that the coastal area of southern New Jersey provided my ancestors either stayed or returned rather than suffer the hardships of months at sea hunting whales.

My paternal grandfather was the last person in my direct line to make his living by being both a bayman and a farmer. He retired from oystering and sold his business in the early 1950's. He continued to farm until his death in 1964.

I hope that my comments will be of help in your search for history and/or treasure along the bay coast of Cape May county.

Donald Higbee