Cape May's oldest continuously operating hotel, built in 1876 by Civil War veteran Henry Sawyer, where a former handyman named Mr. Johnson haunts the basement and a woman with a baby has been seen in the cupola.
301 Howard St, Cape May, NJ 08204
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$$
Room rates vary seasonally; check chalfonte.com for current pricing. Common bathrooms shared; no air conditioning in most rooms.
Access
Limited Access
Historic three-story Victorian hotel; stairs; no elevator; shared bathrooms
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1876 · Cape May's Oldest Continuously Operating Hotel · Cape May Historic District (NRHP 1970) · Civil War Veteran Founder · Victorian Architecture
Henry Sawyer built the Chalfonte between 1875 and 1876 at 301 Howard Street, originally operating it as a boarding house. Sawyer was a colonel in the Union Army — he commanded the 1st New Jersey Cavalry — and was held as a prisoner of war at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. After the war he returned to Cape May and invested in property; the Chalfonte was his most lasting venture.
The Philadelphia Phillies used the hotel during spring training in 1888, practicing at the Cape May Athletic Park located directly behind the property — a measure of the hotel's standing in the resort community during the Gilded Age.
The Chalfonte remained in seasonal operation across the twentieth century. Helen Dickerson served as kitchen director for 77 years until her death; her daughter Lucille Thompson worked there for approximately 80 years starting around 1936. These two women's combined tenure — roughly 160 years of continuous kitchen service — became a defining element of the hotel's identity.
The National Park Service has described the Chalfonte as 'the oldest and most ornate large hotel in Cape May' and 'the oldest continuously operating lodging facility in the city.' It is a contributing property to the Cape May Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Robert and Linda Mullock purchased the hotel in 2008 and have maintained its historic character, including the absence of air conditioning and en-suite bathrooms in most rooms.
Sources
Mr. Johnson, a former handyman at the Chalfonte, is the figure most consistently associated with the hotel's paranormal reputation. He has been reported in the basement — where building maintenance and utility infrastructure are concentrated — and on the stairwells connecting the building's three floors. His presence is described as a visual sighting rather than an auditory phenomenon, though staff accounts vary.
A second figure in the hotel's lore appears in the cupola at the top of the Victorian structure: a woman holding a baby or infant. The cupola is the building's highest point, and the apparition is described as looking out rather than interacting with witnesses below. The identity of the woman is not known.
Paranormal investigator Craig McManus conducted an investigation at the Chalfonte and captured electronic voice phenomena (EVP) in the hotel's corridors. The recorded voice said it was 'mad as hell' and appeared to be directing its anger toward McManus. The account is documented in McManus's published work on Cape May's haunted locations.
Cape May operates one of the most active ghost tour ecosystems in the Northeast, and the Chalfonte appears on multiple tour routes. US Ghost Adventures lists it among the top ten most haunted places in Cape May. The hotel itself does not advertise or schedule paranormal programming.
Notable Entities
Stay in the 1876 Victorian building operated in its historic form — stacked ship-deck porches, ornate gingerbread railings, and shared bathrooms. Staff have reported Mr. Johnson's presence in the basement; paranormal investigators have captured EVPs in the corridors. The cupola at the top of the building is associated with the apparition of a woman holding a baby.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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