History

History of the Lighthouse

Congress approved $6000 in 1834 for the construction of the first Barnegat lighthouse at the northern end of Long Beach Island in New Jersey. Marniers considered the lighthouse to be an inadequate light source for an area that was considered to be "one of the most important navigational points for ships bound to and from New York Harbor" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnegat_Lighthouse_State_Park). The ships were dependent upon the Barnegat Lighthouse to avoid the shoals extending from the shoreline, swift currents, and shifting sandbars. Barnegat lightouse In 1856 construction on a new lighthouse was begun by Lt. George G. Meade, a government engineer.

The original lighthouse fell into the sea in June 1857 after more then ten years of beach erosion. Meade's lighthouse was to be four times as tall as the previous lighthouse and cost $40,000. Construction of the new lighthouse was moved 100 feet south of the original structure to compensate for future beach ersosion. Today, the original site of the lighthouse is now completely submerged. Many jetties have been built throughout the history of the lighthouse.

The lighthouse's beacon remained a first-class navigational light until August 1927, when the Barnegat Lightship was anchored 8 miles (13 km or 15 km) off the coast. This prompted the automation and the replacement of the first-order lens with a gas blinker. As a result, the tower's light was reduced by over 80 percent. The gas blinker was replaced several weeks later with a 250 watt electric bulb, though the gas apparatus can still be seen at the top of the tower.

The lens was sent to the Tompkinsville Lighthouse Depot on Staten Island, New York. However, the lighthouse's beacon was not extinguished until January 1944, when it was decommissioned by the Coast Guard and given to the State of New Jersey. Four years later, in 1948, the local municipality Barnegat City renamed itself Barnegat Light. In 1954, the lens was returned to the borough of Barnegat Light and now is on exhibit in the Barnegat Light Historical Museum. The area around the lighthouse was declared a State park and dedicated in 1957. The lightship was removed in 1965, made obsolete by electronic navigation.

In 1988, the lighthouse was closed for repair. It re-opened to visitors in 1991. Although its high-intensity light no longer functions, the tower is flood-lit at night and a continuous lantern is lit from dusk to dawn. This lantern is visible out to the horizon on clear nights, but is not intended to be visible during inclement weather (though an active foghorn is still present at the opposite end of the inlet). The top of the lighthouse is accessible via its 217 steps and continues to attract thousands of visitors every summer.