Fall 2019

formed a nonprofit to raise funds and support. Bob’s son Zack, city
councilmember, is working (for free) as construction manager on
the project.
Where will the museum be? On Lafayette Street. The home,
currently being restored, once housed the Revered Robert Davis,
pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church, and his wife Carolyn. Until
his death in 2015, Reverend Davis was a beloved member of the
community. He was also a strong advocate for the preservation of
African American history, and his collection of African American
artifacts will be showcased in the museum.
The museum project is also being called a preservation project.
What does that mean? Parts of Reverend Davis’ house were
built in 1799, which means this house is among the oldest on the
island. Because it’s fallen into disrepair, it may have been demolished
if not for Bob Mullock’s suggestion to turn it into a museum.
Does the house have any other connections to African
American history? It’s possible this space, originally owned by a
Quaker, was also used as a safe house for fugitive slaves. “We’re
still investigating,” Dreyfuss said.
Okay, that’s pretty cool. But what’s so special about the
area? Remember that Banneker House Hotel we told you about?
That used to be on the same corner. And a house formerly owned
by Stephen Smith still IS on this corner. Smith was a freed slave,
and the wealthiest black man in America at one point. The owner
of a coal and lumber business, he used his money to ferry slaves
to freedom in the 22 cars of his railroad. (No metaphor here…
we’re talking about an actual, aboveground railroad.) Across
the street was the white Baptist church where the editor of a
local newspaper often preached anti-slavery rhetoric. In other
words, this area was a hotspot of abolition discussion, and possibly
more. It’s a big part of the reason Cape May is now included
on the Network to Freedom, a nationwide program from the
National Parks Service that recognizes locations with verifiable
connections to the Underground Railroad. But beyond that, this
area was also home to a thriving black community, long after slavery
was abolished. (For more on that, see below.)
What is the mission of the museum? That’s three-fold,
according to Lynda Anderson-Towns, trustee chairperson at the
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