New Jersey Lighthouses Celebrate National Lighthouse Day on August 7th

New Jersey lighthouses are an important part of our state’s past and present. With the Atlantic seacoast, surrounding bays, and the Hudson and Delaware Rivers being a critical component of maritime commerce in New Jersey, our lighthouses play a crucial role in providing both commercial ships and recreational boaters with the navigational aids that are essential to safe travel.

On Sunday, August 7th, the lighthouses of New Jersey will celebrate National Lighthouse Day, which commemorates the creation of the U.S. Lighthouse Service on this date in 1789 by an act of the First Congress. It was “An Act for the Establishment and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers.”  It was passed and signed by President George Washington.

This year, the New Jersey Lighthouse Society (NJLHS) with the cooperation of the managers of each lighthouse is sponsoring special National Lighthouse Day activities on Sunday, August 7. New Jersey National Lighthouse Day events will take place at the following New Jersey lighthouses: Absecon Lighthouse, Barnegat Lighthouse, Cape May Lighthouse, Finns Point Rear Range Lighthouse, Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, Sandy Hook Lighthouse (the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States), Sea Girt Lighthouse, and the Twin Lights in Highland. National Lighthouse Day events and activities at the individual New Jersey lighthouses are listed below.

New Jersey National Lighthouse Day Events

Absecon Lighthouse

31 S. Rhode Island Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ
11:00am – 4:00pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at the Absecon Lighthouse include a free concert on the lawn and free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Barnegat Lighthouse

208 Broadway
Barnegat Light, NJ
10:00am – 4:30pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at Barnegat Lighthouse include free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Cape May Lighthouse

215 Lighthouse Avenue
Cape May Point, NJ
9:00am – 2:00pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at the Cape May Lighthouse include crafts for kids, fun and educational programs by the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority and the Nature Center of Cape May, an appearance by Pete the Pirate (Cape May Lewes Ferry mascot), vendors offering nautical merchandise, storytelling about the lighthouse, pirates and shipwrecks, and the ghosts of the lighthouse, and more! Free admission to the grounds and activities; the cost to climb the Cape May Lighthouse is $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12).

Finns Point Rear Range Lighthouse

Old Fort Mott Road
Pennsville, NJ

National Lighthouse Day activities at Finns Point Rear Range Lighthouse include free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Hereford Inlet Lighthouse

111 North Central Avenue
North Wildwood, NJ

National Lighthouse Day activities at Hereford Inlet Lighthouse include a patriotic ceremony in the courtyard,  special guest speakers, music, authors, artists, food, free admission from 11:00am – 4:30pm, and the opportunity for children up to age 14 to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Sandy Hook Lighthouse

85 Mercer Road
Highlands, NJ
1:00pm – 4:30pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at Sandy Hook Lighthouse include free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Sea Girt Lighthouse

9 Ocean Avenue
Sea Girt, NJ
2:00pm – 4:00pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at Sea Girt Lighthouse include free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

Twin Lights

2 Lighthouse Road
Highlands, NJ
10:00am – 4:30pm

National Lighthouse Day activities at Twin Lights Lighthouse include viewing the “Seeing Stars” exhibit in the Twin Lights museum (which follows America’s flag from its inception to today), free climbing for children up to age 14 and the opportunity to earn a Junior Lighthouse Keeper certificate and a special National Lighthouse Day sticker.

To learn more about NJ lighthouses, read this post from Things To Do In New Jersey!

Featured Photo Credit: Bossi via Flickr

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