An 1872 men’s social club formerly called Jackson’s Clubhouse, the Mainstay is one of Cape May’s best bed-and-breakfasts. Many a gambler whiled away the hours under these 14-foot ceilings and on the lofty veranda, which, more than 100 years later, is the city’s most ostentatious spot for doing nothing.
In 1976 the property was purchased by Tom Carroll, who came to Cape May to serve at the nearby Coast Guard Train-ing Center, and his wife, Sue, a collector of antiques. In renovating the building, they made it a focal point in the move to revive Victorian Cape May as a resort town. Included in the magnificent restoration are the house’s original chandeliers as well as most of the original furniture.
The first hint of the Carrolls’ astonishing attention to detail is found in the foyer, where a 13-foot-by-7-foot rosewood-framed mirror, probably weighing 1,000 pounds (no one’s ever taken it down to find out) hangs beneath a dramatic ceiling patterned with 17 different wallpapers. Guest rooms are named for famous Cape May visitors, such as the General Grant and Stonewall Jackson suites, which coexist as harmoniously as the elegant antiques, some of which are museum quality.
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