Sandy Hook Light

Lighthouse

Sandy Hook Light

Sandy Hook Lighthouse in 2020

Location| Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Coordinates| 40°27′42″N 74°00′07″W﻿ / ﻿40.46167°N 74.00194°W﻿ / 40.46167; -74.00194
Tower
Constructed| June 11, 1764
Foundation| Stone
Construction| Rubble
Automated| 1965
Height| 103 feet (31 m)
Shape| Octagonal
Heritage| National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places listed place
Light
Focal height| 27 m (89 ft)
Lens| third order Fresnel lens
Range| 19 nautical miles (35 km; 22 mi)
Characteristic| Fixed white lighted throughout 24 hours

Sandy Hook Light

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Landmark

New Jersey Register of Historic Places

Show map of Monmouth County, New Jersey

Show map of New Jersey

Show map of the United States

NRHP reference No.| 66000468[1]
NJRHP No.| 2029[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP| October 15, 1966
Designated NHL| January 29, 1964[3]
Designated NJRHP| May 27, 1971

The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, located about one and a half statute miles (2.4 km) inland from the tip of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States.[4] It was designed and built on June 11, 1764 by Isaac Conro. At that time, it stood only 500 feet (150 metres) from the tip of Sandy Hook; however, today, due to growth caused by littoral drift, it is almost one and a half miles (2.4 km) inland from the tip. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966, for its significance in commerce and transportation.[1]

## History[edit]

The light was built to aid mariners entering the southern end of the New York Harbor. It was originally called New York Lighthouse because it was funded through a New York Assembly lottery and a tax on all ships entering the Port of New York. The lighthouse has endured an attempt to destroy it as an aid to British navigation by Benjamin Tupper,[5] and a subsequent occupancy of British soldiers during the Revolutionary War.

Almost two years after the State of New York ratified the U.S. Constitution, the lighthouse was transferred to federal authority. George Washington wrote to the Senate on April 5, 1790, "I have directed my private secretary to lay before you copies of three acts of the legislature of New York ... An act for vesting in the United States of America the light-house and the lands thereunto belonging at Sandy Hook".[6] The lighthouse is located on the grounds of Fort Hancock.

In 1990, the U.S. Postal Service issued a 25 cent stamp featuring the Sandy Hook Lighthouse.[7]

## Today[edit]

Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which was restored in spring 2000, is part of the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area administered by the National Park Service. Seven days a week, National Park Service Park Rangers offer free tours every half hour from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The view from the top includes the Atlantic Ocean, Sandy Hook Bay and the New York City skyline.

Sandy Hook Lighthouse in 2021

## In popular culture[edit]

* On September 18, 2009 the Sandy Hook Light was filmed as a fictional backdrop for final episode of the longest running soap opera Guiding Light.

## See also[edit]

* List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey
* List of the oldest buildings in New Jersey
* Geography of New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary
* Raritan Bayshore

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ a b "National Register Information System – (#66000468)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Monmouth County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection \- Historic Preservation Office. March 1, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 2, 2007. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
3. ^ "Sandy Hook Light". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on February 25, 2009. Retrieved June 27, 2008.
4. ^ "Oldest Lighthouse in the United States". July 12, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
5. ^ Sandy Hook Lighthouse, New Jersey at Lighthousefriends.com
6. ^ A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents. Bureau of National Literature, Inc. Vol.1, p.67
7. ^ "Stamp Series". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on August 10, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2013.

## External links[edit]

* Media related to Sandy Hook Lighthouse at Wikimedia Commons
* Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NJ-326, "Sandy Hook Lighthouse, Fort Hancock, Fort Hancock, Monmouth County, NJ", 2 photos, 6 measured drawings, 7 data pages
* Sandy Hook Lighthouse at American Byways
* New Jersey Lighthouse Society Home Page: Sandy Hook Lighthouse Archived 2020-02-22 at the Wayback Machine
* Sandy Hook Lighthouse from Lighthousefriends.com

* v
* t
* e

Middletown, New Jersey

Neighborhoods|

* Belford
* Chapel Hill
* East Keansburg
* Fairview
* Leonardo
* Lincroft
* Locust
* Navesink
* New Monmouth
* North Middletown
* Port Monmouth
* River Plaza

Schools|

* Middletown Township Public School District
* Middletown High School North
* Middletown High School South
* Monmouth County Vocational School District
* High Technology High School
* Marine Academy of Science and Technology
* Brookdale Community College
* Christian Brothers Academy
* Mater Dei High School
* Oak Hill Academy

Parks and recreation|

* Gateway National Recreation Area
* Sandy Hook
* Gunnison Beach
* Fort Hancock
* Hartshorne Woods Park
* Henry Hudson Trail
* Poricy Park
* Tatum Park
* Thompson Park

NRHP sites|

* All Saint's Memorial Church
* Brookdale Farm Historic District
* Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District
* Fort Hancock U.S. Life Saving Station
* Middletown Village Historic District
* Christ Church
* Navesink Historic District
* Navesink Twin Lights
* Navesink Military Reservation
* Sandy Hook Light
* Seabrook–Wilson House
* Union Schoolhouse
* Water Witch Club Historic District
* Water Witch Club Casino

Public transportation|

* Middletown station
* List of NJ Transit bus routes (800–880)
* NY Waterway
* Seastreak

Roads and highways|

* Garden State Parkway
* Route 35
* Route 36
* Newman Springs Road
* County Routes

Other points of interest|

* Evil Clown of Middletown
* Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
* Naval Weapons Station Earle
* Navesink River
* Raritan Bayshore
* Quick Stop Convenience Store (where Clerks was filmed)

This list is incomplete.

* v
* t
* e

Lighthouses of New Jersey

Main: List of lighthouses in the United States

* Absecon Lighthouse
* Barnegat Lighthouse
* Brandywine Shoal Light
* Cape May Lighthouse
* Chapel Hill Rear Range Light
* Conover Beacon
* Cross Ledge Light
* East Point Light
* Elbow of Cross Ledge Light
* Finns Point Range Light
* Great Beds Light
* Hereford Inlet Light
* Ludlam's Beach Light
* Miah Maull Shoal Light
* Navesink Twin Lights
* Robbins Reef Light
* Romer Shoal Light
* Sandy Hook Light
* Sea Girt Light
* Ship John Shoal Light
* Tinicum Island Rear Range Light
* Tucker's Beach Light
* Waackaack Rear Range Light

* v
* t
* e

U.S. National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey

Topics|

* Contributing property
* Keeper of the Register
* Historic district
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* National Park Service
* Property types

Lists by county|

* Atlantic
* Bergen
* Burlington
* Camden
* Cape May
* Cumberland
* Essex
* Gloucester
* Hudson
* Hunterdon
* Mercer
* Middlesex
* Monmouth
* Morris
* Ocean
* Passaic
* Salem
* Somerset
* Sussex
* Union
* Warren

Other lists|

* Bridges
* National Historic Landmarks
* National Natural Landmarks

* Category
* NRHP Portal
* New Jersey Portal

* v
* t
* e

National Register of Historic Places in Monmouth County, New Jersey

Landmarks|

* All Saints' Memorial Church Complex
* Camp Evans
* Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District
* T. Thomas Fortune House
* Horn Antenna
* Monmouth Battlefield
* Navesink Light Station
* Sandy Hook Light
* Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club
* Shadow Lawn

Districts|

* Allaire Village
* Allenhurst Residential Historic District
* Allentown Historic District
* Asbury Park Commercial Historic District
* Brookdale Farm Historic District
* Fort Monmouth Historict District
* Imlaystown Historic District
* Jersey Homesteads Historic District
* Middletown Village Historic District
* Navesink Historic District
* Navesink Military Reservation Historic District
* Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association District
* Shrewsbury Historic District
* Tinton Falls Historic District
* Walnford Historic District
* Water Witch Club Historic District

Places of
worship|

* Christ Church
* Christ Church (Episcopal), Shrewsbury
* Church of the Presidents
* Clarksburg Methodist Episcopal Church
* First Presbyterian Church of Oceanic
* Fisk Chapel
* Holmdel Dutch Reformed Church
* Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
* Manasquan Friends Meetinghouse and Burying Ground
* St. George's-by-the-River Episcopal Church
* St. James Memorial Church of Eatontown
* St. John's Episcopal Church
* St. Peter's Episcopal Church
* Upper Freehold Baptist Meeting
* Upper Meeting House of the Baptist Church of Middletown

Houses|

* Allen House
* Allgor-Barkalow Homestead
* Audenried Cottage
* Maj. John Burrowes Mansion
* Coward-Hendrickson House
* Coward-Smith House
* Grover House
* Murry Guggenheim House
* Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House
* Holmes-Hendrickson House
* House at 364 Cedar Avenue
* Lauriston
* Longstreet Farm
* MacGregor-Tallman House
* Martin Maloney Cottage
* Merino Hill House and Farm
* Old Kentuck
* Parker Homestead
* Portland Place
* Probasco-Dittner Farmstead
* Anthony Reckless Estate
* Seabrook-Wilson House
* George Taylor House
* Walker-Combs-Hartshorne Farmstead
* Wardell House
* Robert White House
* George Wurts Summer Home

Buildings|

* Allenhurst Railroad Station
* Allentown Mill
* Asbury Park Convention Hall
* Bell Laboratories-Holmdel
* Bradley Beach Free Public Library
* Bradley Beach Station
* The Carlton Theatre
* Clarksburg School
* Dr. Robert W. Cooke Medical Office
* Court Street School
* Frederic A. Duggan First Aid and Emergency Squad Building
* Fort Hancock, U.S. Life Saving Station
* Gregory Primary School
* Kovenhoven
* Little Silver Station
* Matawan Station
* Monmouth Boat Club
* North Long Branch School-Primary No. 3
* Old Mill at Tinton Falls
* Red Bank Passenger Station
* River Street School
* Salter's Mill
* Shrewsbury Township Hall
* Squan Beach Life-Saving Station #9
* Union Schoolhouse
* Village Inn
* Palace Amusements
* Steinbach-Cookman Building
* The Towers
* Water Witch Club Casino
* Winsor Building

Sites|

* Chauncy Jerome Jr. Shipwreck Site
* Old Scots Burying Ground
* Sandy Hook Archeological Site

Structures|

* Alexander Hamilton (steamship)
* Brielle Road Bridge over the Glimmer Glass
* Romer Shoal Light Station

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Monmouth County, New Jersey and List of National Historic Landmarks in New Jersey

Authority control databases: Geographic |

* Admiralty
* J1036
* ARLHS
* MarineTraffic
* USCG
* 1-35040

|

*[No.]: number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template