At 20, our founder came ashore in Normandy seasick, frightened, and a long way from the Bronx. Today, Harry Kulkowitz’s story is part of the living history you’ll find at Carroll Villa Hotel and all over Cape May. His son Mark has spent decades keeping that memory close. Below, we’ll show you where to find those stories around town and under our roof.

Once you start mapping out a history weekend, you can check available dates at Carroll Villa and pick your room early.

What Does Living History Look Like in Cape May?

In Cape May, it’s history you hear straight from the families who lived it. Plenty of them still call this town home, including ours.

How Harry’s Service Shaped Our Family Story

Harry was the Jewish son of Russian immigrants. He fudged his age at enlistment so he could join his friends in the fight. On June 6, 1944, he landed at Utah Beach with the 114th Signal Radio Intelligence Company. His job as a radio intercept operator meant copying German Morse code for hours through static and jamming.

Near the start of the Battle of the Bulge, Harry caught a German message signaling the attack, but his sergeant didn’t believe him.

Seventy years later, President Obama shared Harry’s story at the D-Day ceremony in Normandy. He joked that the statute of limitations on Harry’s age had expired. He also told the crowd that Harry could have anything he wanted for lunch, and Harry asked for a hamburger.

Mark describes his dad as a brash, sarcastic, loving New Yorker, so that lunch order fits.

Although France already awarded Harry the Legion of Honor back in 2010, there’s much more to learn about history right here in Cape May. Our guide to Cape May’s historic sites and landmarks shares even more of the town’s past.

How The Longest Yarn Reached Cape May County

Mark’s dozen-plus trips to Normandy, many with his dad, inspired him to bring this tribute to America. Volunteers around the world knitted and crocheted the 80-meter wool tapestry. Its 80 panels trace the days between the landings and the liberation of Paris.

Getting it here took a small army of its own. Our sister restaurant, the Cricket Club, even hosted a fundraiser in April 2024 to help bring it here. United Airlines flew the exhibit across the Atlantic at no cost. It made its US debut at Naval Air Station Wildwood in 2025. The tapestry has since moved on, but local knitters and volunteers helped carry it along the way.

How Did Cape May’s Coast Guard Shape the Town?

The Coast Guard is part of everyday life in Cape May. Training Center Cape May is the only recruit training center for the entire Coast Guard enlisted corps.

Recruit training moved here in 1948, and the base became the sole enlisted training center in 1982. Graduations usually take place on Fridays, so you’ll often spot proud families around town at the end of the week. Our Coast Guard Graduation Special offers those families a Thursday night stay before the ceremony. Each spring, the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Festival honors those ties.

Why Does Carroll Villa Give Away a Free Veteran’s Stay Each Year?

Every November, we give a free stay to a veteran. It’s our thank-you to those who served, offered in Harry’s honor.

One trip to the Normandy American Cemetery shows why it matters to us. Harry, Mark, and Mark’s son, Kyle, placed stones on a Jewish soldier’s grave there. The soldier was from the Bronx, just like Harry. It was the first time Mark ever saw his father cry. Harry said, “This could have been me.”

Mark still hosts veterans’ dinners and supports WWII remembrance across Cape May County. You’ll find this year’s giveaway details on our blog in November.

What Carriage and Trolley Tours Show Cape May’s History?

Harry’s story is one of many on these streets, and a local guide can share the rest. The easiest way to see the Cape May historic district is to let someone else do the steering. Cape May MAC trolley tours and Cape May Carriage Company rides both hand the storytelling to someone who knows the town.

Trolley guides point out the architecture and background of the Victorian homes on each block. A horse-drawn carriage moves slower, so you’ll have more time to admire the Painted Ladies and their wide porches.

Our building has welcomed guests since 1882, long before it became a family-run Cape May bed-and-breakfast. When Harry took it over in 1978, it had 34 rooms, no heat, and only a couple of bathrooms. His motto, as Mark tells it, was simple: MacGyver it, and don’t fuss it. Our 19 rooms have come a long way since the days of tape and bandages, we promise.

Which Museums Round Out a Cape May History Weekend?

After a tour, step inside the history you just rode past. These four museums cover several centuries of local life, and each is a short drive from Jackson Street.

Choose your first stop by what interests you most:

Historic Cold Spring Village: New Jersey’s largest open-air living history museum brings the 1800s back to life with blacksmithing, printing, and woodworking demonstrations. In the fall, it opens only on special event weekends.
World War II Lookout Tower: Built in 1942 on Sunset Boulevard, this is New Jersey’s last freestanding World War II tower. Climb to the sixth-floor spotting gallery, where crews once scanned the water for enemy ships.
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum: Navy dive-bomber pilots trained in Hangar #1 during World War II. The museum honors the 42 aviators who died training here between 1943 and 1945.
Emlen Physick Estate: This 1879 Victorian mansion shows how one prominent Cape May family lived. Cape May MAC leads guided tours of the house.

We like pairing one museum with a guided tour on the same day. However, fall hours change often, so check each schedule before you drive out.

Where Can You Stay Close to All of It?

When the museums close, the last stop of your history weekend is the building Harry brought back to life. Carroll Villa Hotel sits on Jackson Street, half a block from the beach and steps from the Washington Street Mall. The Mad Batter is right downstairs, so breakfast and dinner for two never require you to use your car.

If you’d like a full weekend plan, our fall Cape May getaway weekend itinerary pairs well with everything here.

Mark once said he finally became his father, just in a gentler, softer way. We’re pretty sure Harry would like how the story keeps going. Book your fall stay at Carroll Villa Hotel and let Cape May’s living history shape your weekend.

Cape May’s Living History Starts at Carroll Villa Hotel