Historical society dedicates Memorial Garden at Sea Isle City Library

Written by Staff Reports Friday, August 10, 2012 11:00 am

Sea Isle City Historical Society president Mike Stafford leads the dedication ceremony opening the society’s new Memorial Garden outside the Historical Museum. A Victorian-era statue of the Roman god Neptune brought to Sea Isle City from Italy by founder Charles K. Landis is shown at left, and a mast salvaged from a 1920 shipwreck is at bottom.

SEA ISLE CITY – Members of the Sea Isle City Historical Society (SICHS) recently hosted an open house and dedication ceremony to officially welcome visitors to the new Memorial Garden, which is located adjacent to the society’s museum on the first level of the Sea Isle City Library, 48th Street and Central Ave.

The ceremony in the Memorial Garden was led by SICHS president Mike Stafford, who was joined at the podium by Mayor Leonard Desiderio and society members Ann Hall and Joe LaRosa, each of whom highlighted the museum’s and garden’s many features.
In addition to beautiful landscaping, the Memorial Garden is accented with several historical artifacts, the most noticeable of which is a Victorian-era statue of the Roman god Neptune, which was brought to Sea Isle City from Italy by the town’s founder, Charles K. Landis. The statue is one of many pieces of public art that Landis placed around the town in the late 1800’s. Today, it is the only remaining artwork from that original collection.
Another of the garden’s historical features is a ship’s mast salvaged from the George S. Skofield, which was shipwrecked off of the coast of Sea Isle City in 1920. Between 1920 and 1960, the mast served as a flag pole in front of Sea Isle’s City Hall building before being replaced with a modern flag pole. Today it is serves as a historical reminder of the town’s nautical past.
The Memorial Garden also has personalized benches and brick pavers, which are engraved with the names of donors and supporters. One of the benches was purchased by the 13 grandchildren of Dorothy (nee McCann) Mazullo in her memory. Many of Mazullo’s family members attended the dedication ceremony wearing custom-made T-shirts featuring the McCann family crest and the line “A Toast to Grandy.”
According to Stafford, benches are no longer available for sale but personalized brick pavers can still be purchased for the Memorial Garden’s pathway.
“We have plenty of room for additional bricks in our memorial garden,” said Stafford. “Personalized bricks are a great way to remember someone you love.”
During the summer months, the Sea Isle City Historical Museum is open every day except Sunday. To learn how you can purchase a personalized brick paver and have it placed in the museum’s Memorial Garden, call 624-7929.
The Sea Isle City Library is a branch of the Cape May County Library System.

Several of Dorothy Mazullo’s family members attended the grand opening of the Sea Isle City Historical Museum’s new Memorial Garden, where they sat on a bench that was purchased in her memory. Mazullo’s husband, Dominic Mazullo, 87, of Upper Southampton, Pa. (seated, at left), was among those in attendance.

Sisters Sarah, 15, and Nora Larkin, 10, of Springfield, Pa., are shown during the open house examining a 1920 baby doll, which is one of the historical museum’s many artifacts.

Judy Nelson, of Fox Chase, Pa., shows the Sea Isle City of her youth to grandson, Sean Nelson, 8.

Shown during the dedication ceremony are (from left) SICHS member Ann Hall, SICHS president Mike Stafford, Mayor Leonard Desiderio, SICHS member Joe LaRosa, Councilman John Divney and Councilman/SICHS vice-president Mike McHale.