Strathmere celebrates 100 years as city ‘by the sea’

Last Updated on Tuesday, 07 February 2012 10:58 Written by DEBORAH PATTERSON Tuesday, 07 February 2012 10:55

An ad to buy land in Strathmere from the late 1910’s or early 1920’s offers ocean and bay front lots starting at $150.

STRATHMERE – This small community is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its naming.

It was in January 1912 that the first postmaster, George McCullough, was commissioned once the name of Strathmere was selected. Before that the area was referred to as Corson's Inlet because its shores were along the Corson's Inlet waterway.

Oddly enough, the town received its new name thanks to a contest held by the Pennsylvania Railroad.

John and Jennie Burk originally owned land here until 1881 when it was deeded to Matilda Landis. Eventually, as more and more development took place, someone decided the place needed its own name.

What better way to do this but a contest? And what better way to market this "Wonderland of Sun and Sea" then to advertise in the Philadelphia newspapers and offer a $1,000 prize?

Those were the stakes, according to a 1910 newspaper ad that offered an excursion to “Where Corson’s Inlet Meets the Combers” where travelers could find out “who will be the lucky namer of this ocean-girdled gem in the diadem of the Jersey Shore.”

“Who will receive the awards for having created a name worthy of this wind-caressed, sunbathed vacationland supreme?” the ad continued.

The $1,000 winner was named and two lots were also given away to one of the 500 passengers who took the special train from Philadelphia via the Market Street ferries to Camden.

The West Jersey and Seashore Railway and the Reading Railway were already running lines down to the shore. A diagram of the rail lines from that time shows that Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor and Wildwood already had their places on the map. The future Strathmere is listed only as “Name It.”

Trains came into Strathmere near where the Corson’s Inlet Bridge is now. The Corson's Inlet train station, as it was known then, was near the West Jersey Cottages, one of the first hotels here, and Gus Wittkaus, owner of the cottages, was a station manager there for many years.

There doesn't seem to be a record of the lucky person whose name was chosen, whether it was an inhabitant or an out-of-towner, but the contest winner's entrant was Strathmere.

According to the website, Strathmere News and Happenings, which hosts the Strathmere Improvement Association’s weekly newsletter, the name Strathmere came from “‘strath’ which...had the same derivation as strand or beach and ‘mere’ which...relates to the sea."

There are no definite plans set yet as to any celebrations for this centennial anniversary but surely the annual Fourth of July parade will pay heed and it will probably be a theme during the Nightmare in Strathmere event.

(Information for this article was found at www.strathmere.blogspot.com and Carol Baker's Strathmere website www.strathmere.net.)

This circa-1912 advertisement included a contest to rename the town. The winner received $1,000. Two free properties were also to be given away to two lucky winners who attended the ceremony. It is thought the McCulloughs were given the two lots to build a country store. Mr. McCullough worked for the railroad that was one of the sponsors of the contest.

This view of the point was taken in 1917, from atop the A frame of the railroad bridge going over the bay. The bulkhead reads “This is Strathmere.”

The Reading Railway came into Strathmere near where the Corson’s Inlet Bridge is today.

Photos courtesy of History and Memories of Strathmere, NJ at www.strathmere.net.