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Shipwrecks and Legends 'Round Cape May: Includes Stirring Tales of Pirates, Buried Treasure, Rum-Runners, War Action
Quite a place, this Cape May [New Jersey], America’s first resort town, with its Victorian homes and hostelries of gaudy pastels and lacy woodwork, is a happy summer place where happy summer people frolic in the sand, shops and streets of this festive area. But when the pages of time are turned back, or when the summer sun sets, this is a cape of mystery, intrigue and rich folklore. This book does not pretend to masquerade as a history book. While carefully conceived and planned, and despite exhaustive research and intensive interviews, this is only an overview of Cape May’s most noteworthy legends and shipwrecks. At times, there may seem to be more questions than answers for some of these tales. The complete stories are often so elusive and lost in time, and information so contradictory, that any ironclad conclusions are precluded…
- GenresNonfiction
120 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1987
31 people want to read
About the author
Charles J. Adams III
38 books22 followersCharles J. Adams III was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1947 and resides there today. In addition to his books, Adams also writes regular features on travel and local legends in the Reading Eagle newspaper and has written travel stories for several other magazines and publications. He has also been the morning air personality on radio station WEEU in Reading, where he has been employed since 1978.
Adams has been a speaker at the International Ghost Hunters Alliance and GhostWorld conventions in Gettysburg, Pa., and at regional paranormal conferences in New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He has been interviewed on ghostly topics in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and on several American radio and television stations.
He has also appeared on The History Channel's "Haunted America: New York" and "Haunted America: Philadelphia" programs and has served as consultant and on-air "expert" for programs on hauntings and ghosts on The Learning Channel, MTV, and The Travel Channel. His latest television work is a segment at the haunted Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for The Travel Channel's "Mysterious Journeys" series.
Adams has also organized and escorted tours of haunted places in the United States, England, and Scotland.
He has produced, written, and conducted "ghost tours" in Lancaster County, Reading, Hamburg, and Philadelphia, Pa.; Cape May, N.J., and Greenwich Village, New York City. His stories have been selected for inclusion in several anthologies, including "Classic American Ghost Stories" (August House Publishing). At the personal request of the producer M. Night Shyamalan, his book, "Bucks County Ghost Stories" was used as a prop in the 2002 movie, "Signs," which stars Mel Gibson.
In 2006, he donated nearly 400 books he had collected in his travels to the Exeter Community Library as the "Charles J. Adams III Paranormal Research Collection." The books deal with legends, folklore, and ghost stories from across the United States and world. It is recognized as the largest single collection of its kind in any library in the nation.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Adams has also been a singer and keyboard player in rock bands since his high school days. Adams has also written numerous commercial jingles and songs, and several have been recorded and released on CDs and music videos, including "From the River to the Mountain," written for the city of Reading's 250th anniversary celebration and "There's a Game Tonight in Baseballtown," which can be heard during Reading Phillies games. He has also recorded several railroad folk songs.
He has served on the marketing committee of the Reading Symphony Orchestra; has recited dramatic work with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Reading Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Reading Pops Orchestra; and has been a guest conductor for the Exeter Community Band. His play, "Curtains," was produced and presented at the Genesius Theatre; and his "Storybook Murder" mystery was produced and performed as a fund-raising event for the Reading Public Library. He has been co-host of the "YNOTs Awards" (that's "TONYs" spelled backwards) show, which recognizes the best of high school musical presentations and performers in Berks County, since its inception. He is co-host of "Travels With Sue and Charlie," a monthly travel program on BCTV, the Greater Reading, PA, community access television station.
Charlie has also served as president of the Reading (Pa.) Public Library, the Board of Directors of the Exeter Township School District, and on the boards of the Penn State Berks Campus Alumni Society, Exeter Community Library, Crestwood Swimming Association, Humane Society of Berks County, and the Historical Society of Berks County. He is presently a member of the editorial board of the Historical Society and is chairman of its Publications Committee. In 2006, Adams organized the inaugural and highly successful "READING READS: The Greater Reading Literary Fest
Adams has been a speaker at the International Ghost Hunters Alliance and GhostWorld conventions in Gettysburg, Pa., and at regional paranormal conferences in New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He has been interviewed on ghostly topics in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and on several American radio and television stations.
He has also appeared on The History Channel's "Haunted America: New York" and "Haunted America: Philadelphia" programs and has served as consultant and on-air "expert" for programs on hauntings and ghosts on The Learning Channel, MTV, and The Travel Channel. His latest television work is a segment at the haunted Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for The Travel Channel's "Mysterious Journeys" series.
Adams has also organized and escorted tours of haunted places in the United States, England, and Scotland.
He has produced, written, and conducted "ghost tours" in Lancaster County, Reading, Hamburg, and Philadelphia, Pa.; Cape May, N.J., and Greenwich Village, New York City. His stories have been selected for inclusion in several anthologies, including "Classic American Ghost Stories" (August House Publishing). At the personal request of the producer M. Night Shyamalan, his book, "Bucks County Ghost Stories" was used as a prop in the 2002 movie, "Signs," which stars Mel Gibson.
In 2006, he donated nearly 400 books he had collected in his travels to the Exeter Community Library as the "Charles J. Adams III Paranormal Research Collection." The books deal with legends, folklore, and ghost stories from across the United States and world. It is recognized as the largest single collection of its kind in any library in the nation.
A U.S. Navy veteran, Adams has also been a singer and keyboard player in rock bands since his high school days. Adams has also written numerous commercial jingles and songs, and several have been recorded and released on CDs and music videos, including "From the River to the Mountain," written for the city of Reading's 250th anniversary celebration and "There's a Game Tonight in Baseballtown," which can be heard during Reading Phillies games. He has also recorded several railroad folk songs.
He has served on the marketing committee of the Reading Symphony Orchestra; has recited dramatic work with the Reading Symphony Orchestra, Reading Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Reading Pops Orchestra; and has been a guest conductor for the Exeter Community Band. His play, "Curtains," was produced and presented at the Genesius Theatre; and his "Storybook Murder" mystery was produced and performed as a fund-raising event for the Reading Public Library. He has been co-host of the "YNOTs Awards" (that's "TONYs" spelled backwards) show, which recognizes the best of high school musical presentations and performers in Berks County, since its inception. He is co-host of "Travels With Sue and Charlie," a monthly travel program on BCTV, the Greater Reading, PA, community access television station.
Charlie has also served as president of the Reading (Pa.) Public Library, the Board of Directors of the Exeter Township School District, and on the boards of the Penn State Berks Campus Alumni Society, Exeter Community Library, Crestwood Swimming Association, Humane Society of Berks County, and the Historical Society of Berks County. He is presently a member of the editorial board of the Historical Society and is chairman of its Publications Committee. In 2006, Adams organized the inaugural and highly successful "READING READS: The Greater Reading Literary Fest
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 10, 2021
Every fact in this book is followed up by a sentence or more of "But did it really happen? Who can say for sure? We'll never know." But still, it reminded me of a nice vacation and put me in the shore mindset for a little while. I liked that.
August 5, 2025
Exactly as expected. Anecdotes about shipwrecks around Cape May. Reasonable beach read. Map would have been helpful.
October 31, 2013
Copyright 1987 -
Almost an anthology; more possibly a history of sorts.
Not that well written, yet informative.
I felt there were a few instances where the authors go their towns mixed up as far as their locations.
For me,I the prohibition era and WWI&II stories were interesting.
The section listing Other Shipwrecks 'Round Cape May - dating from 1855 to 1967 - 113+ provided a sense of reality.
Fires (not from cannons, torpedos or land mines) were tragedies.
Also tug boat mishaps with barges were more common then I had ever realized.
The colletion of pictures, were helpful in appreciating the elements.
Accidents happen when least expected...guess that is why they are called accidents.
Almost an anthology; more possibly a history of sorts.
Not that well written, yet informative.
I felt there were a few instances where the authors go their towns mixed up as far as their locations.
For me,I the prohibition era and WWI&II stories were interesting.
The section listing Other Shipwrecks 'Round Cape May - dating from 1855 to 1967 - 113+ provided a sense of reality.
Fires (not from cannons, torpedos or land mines) were tragedies.
Also tug boat mishaps with barges were more common then I had ever realized.
The colletion of pictures, were helpful in appreciating the elements.
Accidents happen when least expected...guess that is why they are called accidents.
June 10, 2012
This was okay. I was very impressed with the amount of research that the authors obviously did, although the end result was a perfect tourist souvenir rather than a great literary work. And since that is what this book was, it hit the nail on the head! Interesting, if not really intellectual. A really great souvenir, though!
July 12, 2013
Very interesting and informative book on our area. A quick read but definitely worth it.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews