North Wildwood Considers Changing Name to Anglesea

Photo: Dan McQuade

North Wildwood may not be North Wildwood for much longer.

Residents yesterday submitted a petition with more than 100 signatures on it asking for the city’s name to be changed to Anglesea. There are about 3,200 registered voters in North Wildwood.

Anglesea was the original borough on the northern end of the island that contains the Wildwoods. Anglesea Borough was incorporated in 1885, but was eliminated when the Borough of North Wildwood was created in 1906 (the borough became a city 11 years later).

The Press of Atlantic City says residents now consider it a neighborhood on the city’s inlet; the best-known place with the name is probably the Anglesea Pub on West 1st Avenue.

“Anglesea is a lot prettier a name than North Wildwood. Also I think it breaks the image of North Wildwood being in the shadow of Wildwood,” 84-year-old James Wheaton told the Press of Atlantic City. “It makes people think North Wildwood is a part of Wildwood. It should stand on its own.”

Wheaton is the grandson of Harry C. Wheaton, who was mayor of Anglesea Borough. His son, Edward, was the one who collected the signatures. North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello says City Council will now consider putting a non-binding referendum on the November ballot.

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