Strathmere story had a few discrepancies

Written by Opinion Monday, 13 February 2012 11:00

To the editor:

Thanks for (last week’s) article on Strathmere celebrating our 100th year under that name. I just wanted to point out a few discrepancies in the story.

The picture at the top left is indeed a Reading train. The Reading, however, did not come into Strathmere "near where the current Corson's Inlet Bridge is today.” It came in through Tuckahoe and Seaville and entered Strathmere where Twisties is currently located. The West Jersey and Seashore (Pennsylvania Railroad) came into Strathmere through Sea Isle City and then continued on to the end of the line in Ocean City. The picture at the top right is taken from the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge from Ocean City, which was located where the current toll bridge is today.

The man who owned and ran the West Jersey Cottage was Gus Wittkamp (not Wittkaus). Gus' granddaughter, Debbie Wittkamp Vandegrift, lives in Strathmere today.

The story itself is correct that the newspaper ad for the contest is from 1910 (April 10 fell on a Sunday in 1910), so it's odd that the caption under the picture of the ad says "circa -1912.”

The caption also mixes up two different promotions. While it's true that George and Catharine McCullough (my grandparents) were given two lots on condition that they build and open a store, that occurred in 1909. By the time this ad ran in 1910 for another promotion, their store was about to open for the summer.

Ken Weaver

Strathmere