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| WILDWOOD MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND RENTALS | For Immediate Service Call 609.522.4999 |
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
May 24th thru May 27th, 2024
Following the end of the Civil War, many communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war or as a memorial to those who had died. Some of the places creating an early memorial day include Sharpsburg, Maryland, located near Antietam Battlefield; Charleston, South Carolina; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; Richmond, Virginia; Carbondale, Illinois; Columbus, Mississippi; many communities in Vermont; and some two dozen other cities and towns. These observances coalesced around Decoration Day, honoring the Union dead, and the several Confederate Memorial Days.
According to Professor David Blight of the Yale University History Department, the first memorial day was observed in 1865 by liberated slaves at the historic race track in Charleston. The site was a former Confederate prison camp as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died in captivity. The freed slaves reinterred the dead Union soldiers from the mass grave to individual graves, fenced in the graveyard and built an entry arch declaring it a Union graveyard. This was a daring action for them to take in the South shortly after the North's victory. On May 30, 1868, the freed slaves returned to the graveyard with flowers they had picked from the countryside and decorated the individual gravesites, thereby creating the first Decoration Day. A parade by thousands of freed blacks and Union soldiers from the area was followed by patriotic singing and a picnic.
The official "birthplace" of Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York. The village was credited with being the place of origin because it observed the day on May 5, 1866, and each year thereafter. The friendship between General John Murray, a distinguished citizen of Waterloo, and General John A. Logan, who helped bring attention to the event nationwide, likely was a factor in the holiday's growth.
Logan had been the principal speaker in a citywide memorial observation on April 29, 1866, at a cemetery in Carbondale, Illinois, an event that likely gave him the idea to make it a national holiday. On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans' organization, Logan issued a proclamation that "Decoration Day" be observed nationwide. It was observed for the first time on May 30 of the same year; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle. The tombs of fallen Union soldiers were decorated in remembrance.
Many of the states of the U.S. South refused to celebrate Decoration Day, due to lingering hostility towards the Union Army and also because there were relatively few veterans of the Union Army who were buried in the South. A notable exception was Columbus, Mississippi, which on April 25, 1866 at its Decoration Day commemorated both the Union and Confederate casualties buried in its cemetery.
The alternative name of "Memorial Day" was first used in 1882. It did not become more common until after World War II, and was not declared the official name by Federal law until 1967 . On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved three holidays from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. The holidays included Washington's Birthday, now celebrated as Presidents' Day; Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. The change moved Memorial Day from its traditional May 30 date to the last Monday in May. The law took effect at the federal level in 1971.
After some initial confusion and unwillingness to comply, all fifty states adopted the measure within a few years. Veterans Day was eventually changed back to its traditional date. Ironically, most corporate businesses no longer close on Veterans Day, Columbus Day, or President's Day, with the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and/or New Years Eve often substituted as more convenient "holidays" for their employees. Memorial Day endures as a holiday which most businesses observe because it marks the beginning of the "summer vacation season." This role is filled in neighboring Canada by Victoria Day, which occurs either on May 24 or the last Monday before that date, placing it exactly one week before Memorial Day.
Important Note: The rental properties we represent are all privately owned & maintained, and therefore, reflect the taste of each individual owner. We strongly urge you to personally inspect the rental property of your choice to be sure that it meets your expectations & requirements before making a legally binding commitment.
How soon do I have to reserve my rental?
It is best to try to book your vacation rental before President's Weekend if you want beachfront or a very particular unit. You will still pretty much have your choice but by the time spring comes, the properties are not as plentiful.
Can I make a reservation without coming to see it?
It is best if you actually view the property as we cannot be responsible if you do not like it when you arrive. However, if you feel confident that the pictures you see online are satisfactory, then you can book it by Reserving Online, by e-mail , calling us (609) 522.4999 or sending a fax (866) 571.9766.
If I do come down, where are you located?
We are located at 1701 New Jersey Avenue in North Wildwood. We are open daily 9-5 Monday through Friday and on the Weekends from 9-4. Showings of rental properties bust be pre-arranged so please call us at 609.522.4999 to schedule an appointment.
How do I go about making a reservation?
To reserve a property we will need a non-refundable deposit on a major Credit Card. Of that amount $65 represents a processing fee with the remaining amount of your charge being applied to your rental amount upon receipt of your lease agreement and second deposit. To draft the lease we will need your name, address and phone number .Once we receive all the necessary information we will draft the lease and e-mail it to you for your review and signature. You will keep a copy for your own records and return the signed lease to us with a 50% deposit. The final deposit and security deposit, if required, are due two weeks BEFORE your arrival. Your entire transaction can be placed on a major credit card but your security deposit must be paid by check, certified check, money order, traveler's check or cash.
What time is check-in and check-out?
Check in times is 2:00 PM & check-out is usually 10:00 AM. When you check out, make sure you do not leave your vehicle(s) in any parking area of the rental or you could be subject to being towed.
When I arrive, what do I need to bring with me?
You will need any additional monetary deposits, sheets and towels, beach chairs, food including staples (sugar, salt, paper products, dish detergent etc.). Each unit is unique and we try to put as much information as possible in our written leases. Some units provide beach tags but not all. No keys shall be released to you unless your account is paid in full.
Can friends visit while we are renting?
Yes, friends and family can visit but you are restricted to the number of persons that occupy the property specified in your lease. If you exceed that number, you will be in violation of the lease. The lease will be terminated immediately with no monies being returned to you.
If I pay a security deposit, do I get it back the day I leave?
State law requires your security deposit be returned within 30 days of your departure. We typically return the deposit within two weeks of your check-out date unless the property was not left in the same clean condition as you received it or if there were any damages.
What happens if I make a reservation, and then I have to or want to cancel it?
Island Realty Group does NOT hold your deposit money. All deposits are sent to the owner with the copies of the lease. It is up to the owner to retain or release the deposit when notified of a cancellation. If he is agreeable to release it, he reserves the right to hold your deposit until he has received the deposit from another tenant. If you must cancel your reservation, notify us immediately in writing. We will then place the property on our active rental list.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to call us at any time at 609.522.4999. We are here to help you.
