The Absecon Lighthouse is a coastal
lighthouse located in the north end of
Atlantic City, New Jersey, overlooking
Absecon Inlet Absecon Inlet is a narrow strait on the southeastern coast of New Jersey in the United States.''Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition'', pp. 3-4.
Geography
Absecon Inlet leads from the Atlantic Ocean through barrier islands in ...
. At it is the tallest lighthouse in the state of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
and the third-tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States.
Construction on Absecon Lighthouse began in 1854, with the light first lit on January 15, 1857. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1933 and, although the light still shines every night, it is no longer an active navigational aid. The lighthouse is open to public visitation and, for a small donation, one may climb to the watch room and external gallery. A re-creation of the keepers' quarters was opened in 2002 and serves as a museum and gift shop. The original oil house now contains a
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) for use in lighthouses. It has been called "the invention that saved a million ships."
The design allows the c ...
exhibit. Along with school and group tours, the Absecon Lighthouse offers an overnight program for Scouts, a winter arts program for children, and a wide variety of special events throughout the year.
The Absecon Lighthouse was designed by
George Meade
George Gordon Meade (December 31, 1815 – November 6, 1872) was a United States Army officer and civil engineer best known for decisively defeating Confederate General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. H ...
and still retains its original first-order fixed Fresnel lens. The lens is made of lead glass and weighs As the light was fixed (non-flashing), it does not have a landward segment allowing visitors to look up in the lens where the keepers entered it for maintenance.
Jack E. Boucher conceived and oversaw the preservation of the lighthouse in 1964.
The lighthouse is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
, the
Historic American Buildings Survey
Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...
, and the
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the New Jersey's state historic preservation office with ...
.
Museum
Absecon Lighthouse has a history museum located in the replicated 1925 Keeper's House. Exhibits include ocean life, shipwrecks, keepers and lighthouse history, local memorabilia, and restoration photos. The Oil House has a Fresnel Lens exhibit. Visitors can climb the 228 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Educational programs are offered for groups and children.
See also
*
List of museums in New Jersey
This list of museums in New Jersey is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, ...
*
List of tallest buildings in Atlantic City
The following is a list of the tallest buildings in Atlantic City.
Casino hotels dominate the skyline and are interspersed with residential highrises. Prior to their construction following the legalization of gambling in the 1970s grand hote ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Atlantic County, New Jersey
References
External links
Historic Absecon Lighthouse- official site, visitor information
Absecon Light at American BywaysHABS/HAER record of the Absecon lighthouseAbsecon Lighthouse- from Lighthousefriends.com
NJ Division of Parks and Forestry
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Lighthouses completed in 1856
Buildings and structures in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey
Lighthouse museums in New Jersey
Museums in Atlantic County, New Jersey
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
Transportation buildings and structures in Atlantic County, New Jersey