View of an empty Congress Hall, ca. 1918. Courtesy of Cape Resorts.
Following the death of Edward C. Knight in 1892, the Congress Hotel Company managed the property for several years before Knight’s daughter, Annie, took control of the hotel. A strong-willed woman, Knight went to battle with the city council over an attempted renovation. As part of her renovation plan, Knight expected the city council to finance the pavement of the streets surrounding the hotel. An incident of unfortunate timing, Knight’s plan was impossible for the council, which had already invested in a massive plan to develop the swampland of East Cape May. In protest, Knight refused to move forward with her renovations, closing the hotel for 14 years and allowing the building to deteriorate.
Annie Knight and the Congress Hall Staff, ca. 1928.
Courtesy of Cape Resorts, Inc.
In 1920, the city finally provided the needed $200,000 for the road improvements, and Knight began her renovations. The refurbishment of the historic hotel raised the hopes of Cape May locals who wanted to see the city return to its place as a premier seaside resort. Among the planned renovations to the hotel, included the addition of a pool and a sunken garden. Unfortunately, neither of these was completed, though it would not be the first time that a pool was mentioned. Despite the more modest renovations, under Knight’s leadership Congress Hall was once again open and if no longer a competitor to Newport or Atlantic City, it at least saw some successful summer seasons.
Congress Hall and Cape May: New Jersey's First Resort 