Congress Hall

Built by Congressman Thomas Hughes in 1816 and originally called "Tommy's Folly" due to its massive size, Congress Hall was destroyed in Cape May's Great Fire of 1878 but quickly rebuilt. The landmark hotel has hosted U.S. Presidents including Ulysses S. Grant.

Congress Hall was originally built by Congressman Thomas Hughes in 1816 and earned the nickname "Tommy's Folly" due to its audacious size. The original structure was destroyed in Cape May's devastating Great Fire of 1878, but the hotel was quickly rebuilt and reopened in 1879. Through fires, storms, and more than two centuries of history, Congress Hall has hosted four U.S. Presidents and countless guests who journeyed to Cape May's beaches—some of whom never left.

The hotel's paranormal activity centers on the third floor, which is considered the most haunted area of the building. Cleaning staff have reported hearing televisions and radios turn on by themselves in empty, locked rooms, followed by sounds of people talking even though no one answers when they knock. Guests have woken to knocking on their doors in the middle of the night, only to find empty hallways. Perhaps most unsettling are the sounds of children running and playing that echo through the corridors when no children are staying nearby.

These phantom children may be connected to a specific tragedy: in 1876, a ten-year-old boy drowned directly in front of the hotel. The ghosts of this child and other unlucky visitors who drowned in Cape May's treacherous waters are said to call Congress Hall their eternal home. A psychic named Gail Ferace, while having lunch at the Congress Hall Cafe, perceived what she called a "water spirit"—later confirmed through research to be the ghost of someone who had drowned. She described how some spirits travel by land, some by air, and others by waterways.

In the hotel's bar area, kitchen staff and servers have encountered a female spirit named Elizabeth. Workers have heard their names spoken aloud when no one else is present, and some have felt an unseen presence brush past them. The ghost seems particularly drawn to the restaurant and service areas of the hotel.

During another visit, psychic Gail Ferace perceived a Victorian-era woman wearing "a long dress from the late 18th century" and carrying a parasol. The apparition beckoned her through the building and pointed urgently toward the lobby. The next day, a fire broke out at Congress Hall—precisely where the phantom had gestured. Fortunately, the fire caused only minor damage, but Ferace later reflected that the spirit had been trying to warn the owners.

Other reported phenomena include flickering lights, whispers in empty rooms, and the faint sound of music drifting from the ballroom long after closing. Victims of the 1878 fire may also linger, their spirits attached to the land where they perished. Congress Hall fully embraces its ghostly reputation, serving as a meeting point for Cape May ghost tours. Visitors often say the spirits simply blend in with the history—as if the past is still checking in every night.