Sea Isle City Historical Museum President Michael Stafford receives Dr. Thomas McCann’s collection of beach tags.

For years, Dr. Thomas McCann patrolled the beaches of Sea Isle City, as both a lifeguard and later a beach patrol captain. He had a strong interest in saving the past.
McCann, who is currently the principal of Vineland High School in Cumberland County, not only co-founded the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol (SICBP) Alumni Committee, he also wrote a book entitled “Life Guarding in Sea Isle City Since 1882,” and plans to publish a revised edition of the book in 2008. According to McCann, there was a "wonderful response to the book." He has since received even more photos and stories about the beach patrol.
McCann believes that, beyond the written word, physical artifacts have value and will help preserve the town’s history. That is why he recently donated to the museum a collection of beach patrol captain badges, the earliest of which dates back to 1938. The donation was made in the name of the Sea Isle City Alumni Association, of which McCann is currently president.
McCann, who over the years has guarded beaches from Upper Township to the Wildwoods, hopes that anyone with an interesting bit of memorabilia or story to tell will contact the museum and add to the current beach patrol display. Museum President Michael Stafford, who also is an alumnus of the SICBP, also hopes that others will step forward and donate artifacts that will enhance the growing exhibit. Contact the museum staff at 609-743-5980.