Christian Admiral

The Christian Admiral, formerly Admiral Hotel and Hotel Cape May, was a luxury hotel located in Cape May, New Jersey. Demolished in 1996, it was once the world's largest hotel, known for its majestic architecture and association with Carl McIntire's Christian movement.

Christian Admiral
Former namesHotel Cape May
Admiral Hotel
General information
TypeHotel
Architectural styleBeaux-Arts
Address1401 Beach Avenue, Cape May, Cape May County, NJ
Town or cityCape May, New Jersey
Country USA
Construction started1905
OpenedApril 11, 1908
Closed1991
DemolishedFebruary 1996
CostUS$1 million
OwnerCarl McIntire
Other information
Number of rooms333

History
Christian Admiral hotel, under McIntire ownership

The Christian Admiral Hotel, originally known as the Hotel Cape May, was erected in the Beaux-Art style between 1905 and 1908.[1] When opened on April 11, 1908 it was the world's largest hotel with 333 guest rooms.[2] Completed behind schedule and over budget, Hotel Cape May was part of a development project intended bring wealthy visitors to the town and rival East Coast resorts like Newport.[3] During its existence it would undergo five bankruptcies and ownership changes.[4]

In 1962 the hotel was acquired by the Christian Beacon Press, headed by the Rev. Dr. Carl McIntire, for use as a bible study and conference center. The conference facilities were expanded and substantial sums of money were spent to bring the hotel into compliance with building codes.[5] Carl McIntire said preserving old buildings is American.[6]

In 1991, it was closed by Cape May City Officials. In 1996, the hotel was demolished for a single-family housing development. Its demolition put into question Cape May's National Historic Landmark status.[1]

References
  1. "10 Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey Archive - The Christian Admiral". Preservation New Jersey. Preservation New Jersey. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  2. "Greenhill's Christian Admiral Page". tks.org. Greenhill Ministries. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  3. Gaines, Hope. "The Passing of the Christian Admiral". CapeMay.com. Cape Publishing, Inc. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  4. Jones, Joyce (August 21, 1994). "Hotel's Fate Poses a Preservation Test". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  5. Jones, Joyce (August 21, 1994). "A Hotel's Many Lives". The New York Times. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  6. Salvini, Emil (1995). The Summer City by the Sea: Cape May, New Jersey, an Illustrated History. Belleville, NJ: Wheal-Grace Publications. p. 122. ISBN 0-8135-2261-7. Retrieved September 3, 2016.

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