World War II Tower

Historical Attractions in Cape May

Fire Control Tower No.23 was left abandoned and exposed to scouring forces of sand and wind for decades after World War II.  The Cape May World War II Lookout Tower’s formidable appearance and omnipresent location overlooking its nearby beach made for a foreboding and mysterious air.

Although it resembles an abandoned lighthouse, the tower is actually a defense post from the days of World War II, when concerns about German ships and submarines shut down Cape May’s actual lighthouse and kept the windows of its homes dark at night.  Towers like No. 23 were equipped with guns and placed up and down the banks of the Delaware River and elsewhere in Cape May County.

The tower was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, but a restoration by Cape May’s Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities was only completed in 2009.  Safer stairs, walkways and recreations of historical details like the tower’s original wooden ladders have brought the tower back to its original state.

Today visitors can walk to the top of the tower for the view and the accompanying historical information provided by guides at every level.  A pictorial memorial to World War II veterans from the Cape May area can also be found here. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience one of the most historical Cape May, NJ attractions.