Greater Cape Historical Society ‘Pennywise’ Ads in Congress Hall Time Capsule

CAPE MAY — The Greater Cape May Historical Society is pleased to announce their contribution to the Congress Hall time capsule. If you are on the thirty years old or less, you stand a good chance to see the time capsule opened. The time capsule was buried on Sept. 5 and will be opened in 2066 at Congress Hall’s 250th Birthday Celebration. The Society’s President, Diane Muentz, and Historian, Harry Bellangy, curated the original Pennywise ads and copied both printed and optical material that was included in the time capsule from the original Pennywise publications.
The Historical Society has a bound collection of Pennywise Magazines. Pennywise, founded in 1932 by Joe Barker and Edgar S. Read, was the inspiration for the local publication, Exit Zero. Ben Miller includes information about the Pennywise magazine in his book, “The First Resort.” Mr. Miller, in his article “Cape Curiosity” published in Exit Zero on Aug. 25, 2010, writes:
“There are two kinds of people in Cape May – those who remember Pennywise, and those who don’t. It may sound like a trite way to start my column, but it’s true, and for more than 55 years, Pennywise was a big deal around here. Forget who is a local, cottager, “shoebie,” or any other label out there, in the pages of Pennywise magazine, everyone was equal. Every issue featured the same elements and design, from the grid of pictures on the front page with a list of names inside to the witty, handwritten musings of editor, Joe Barker. Barker published Pennywise with his business manager, Louis Pron, and a small staff made up of Carola Collings and W. Brinton Smith, who occasionally filled in as temporary editor. Pennywise was printed weekly during the summer season and sporadically throughout the rest of the year, with a sister edition printed monthly in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Barker’s hometown. Each new edition was delivered to local merchants at the beginning of the week, and shortly thereafter people clamored to get their copy.”
The Society’s bound collection of Pennywise magazines are in very good condition and can be viewed in the exhibit room in the Colonial House. The Society is the steward of the Colonial House Museum, located in the first period Memucan Hughes house, c. 1730 at 653 ½ Washington Street. The museum has a restored tavern room, common room, and research/exhibit room on first floor. The mission of the Greater Cape May Historical Society is to collect, preserve, document, interpret and share the history of the greater Cape May area.
The museum is open June 15 through Sept. 15, Wed. through Sat. from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and during Victorian Weekend in Oct. The museum is open by appointment. We respectfully request a minimum of 24 hours’ notice for a private tour. Please send email to 1730colonialhouse@gmail.com. There is no fee. The museum is free to all visitors. Stop by and tell us your Cape May story.