Bits of SJ: Landis` Sea Isle

The island of Sea Isle City, New Jersey, is located on the U.S. East Coast 21 miles south of Atlantic City NJ and 143.1 miles south of New York City. Sea Isle City, New Jersey, celebrated its 120th birthday this year.

Sea Isle City, has five miles of beachfront and offers just about everything the rest of the Jersey Shore summer-getaways towns do, except it's littler. Sea Isle has little arcades, little amusements, several miniature golf courses, and a 1.5 mile paved promenade for pacing the shore without getting your sandals sandy. Sea Isle City is a beach town that is quite content with its limitations - the crowds are smaller and less rowdy, the atmosphere is tilted more towards sea than circus, and is generally a very nifty place to take a 8-hour bite of the Jersey Shore experience without coming home with indigestion! And, it’s a great family-oriented place to visit.

Sea Isle City was founded in 1882 by Charles K. Landis. Mr. Landis was later also the creator of the township of Vineland. It was he who drove a stake into a spot in the ground of the Glassboro-Millville railroad that was to become the center of a new town in the wilderness of New Jersey. He was determined to make it "an ideal town", and to accomplish this goal he set into motion a trend that was to achieve many firsts; for example, the widest street of any town in New Jersey, the largest land area of any city in the state.

Mr. Landis advertised in German newspapers in 1887 by using a map drawing of Sea Isle City to lure German settlers to the city. He was successful in attracting German Tourists to Sea Isle. He gave them personal guided tours of the island while trying to sell them parcels of land.

A steam locomotive train brought in the tourists; who could then get rides on the beach by the horse and carriages. Sea Isle City sure has changed over the years.

In 1899, there was a boardwalk in Sea Isle that stretched from the center of town all the way North to 25th street at the majestic Continental Hotel. The majestic beachfront Continental Hotel was built in 1889. It was located between 25th and 26th Streets. It was one of a few large first class hotels on the entire east coast during that period and thrived for decades. The Hotel was one of the first to use steam-powered elevators for guests.

Steam was used as a power source in the hotel and steam also powered the locomotive train that brought people to Sea Isle City from Philadelphia. The invention of electricity caused the Continental to be out-of-date and brought hard times on the hotel which was eventually demolished in 1921.

In 1882, people got dressed up to go out and see and be seen on the beach—and there were no thongs or string bikinis to be seen! At the pavilion-style, open-air Excursion House, visitors mingled, ate their lunches, and watched the people parading on the beach. The Excursion House featured a skating rink on the first floor and a ballroom for dancing. Boxing matches were also held in the ballroom. This pavilion was the center of social activities in Sea Isle City during the late 1800s.

Mr. Landis is also famous, or infamous, for murder! Landis and his wife had suffered a devastating loss in 1869, when their firstborn son died after only a month. There were rumors of marital discord in the Landis family. In 1875, Uri Caruth, editor and publisher of the Vineland Independent, wrote an article about Landis’ personal life—including demeaning information about Mrs. Landis. This incensed Landis. In a rage, he shot the editor in the back of the head. After lingering for months, the man died and Landis was tried for murder in Bridgeton, NJ. His defense was insanity. Witnesses were called to convince the jury that Landis was deranged. The jury agreed, and Landis was freed. The judge stated that Landis was sane before the murder, and certainly sane when in court--therefore the insanity was temporary. Landis was set free.

The people of Sea Isle City are very proud of their beaches. Currently, the beaches at the Northern end are a little larger and quieter than their southern counterparts, and are unguarded. There is no boardwalk, as the storm of 1962 wiped it out, so town officials built a blacktop promenade which features many shops, eateries and arcades.

Sea Isle City is a wonderful place to visit during the summer and even during the off-season. For more information, visit their website at sea-isle-city.nj.us/.

For more South Jersey History, visit our SJ History page.

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Author: C. Cohen