Visit The Lighthouses of NJ
![NJ Lighthouses](/uploads/2/4/9/1/24915924/5582407.jpg)
Many states in the United States are known for their Light Houses, but none are as renowned as New Jersey. New Jersey has a coastline and most of the coastline in this state is sandy and very shallow, they are broken up by little islands and by the occasional inlet, hence all the lighthouses. New Jersey is one of the states that has some of the oldest lighthouses in the US. Specifically New Jersey has THE oldest Lighthouse in Sandy Hook, but there are also several other lighthouses that can be seen in New Jersey that are considered to be historic light stations. Most all of the lighthouses in Jersey are onshore towers, each of them have their own group of rest orators that are involved in restoring as well as maintaining these light houses. One of the organizations that makes this all possible is the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. If you take a shine to lighthouses, no pun intended, and you plan on visiting a few states where lighthouses are prevalent, New Jersey is one of the best places to start. Below, you will find a few of the lighthouse sin Jersey, as well as more information on the one at Sandy Hook. If you are lucky enough to live in New Jersey and you want to see the lights, the New Jersey Lighthouse Society also has guided tours to some of the most popular lighthouses. If you are further away, but you love the history on these houses, be sure to head on over to see some of the oldest living lighthouses in the country.
Minimum Rear Range Lighthouse
This lighthouse was first lit on New Year’s Eve in 1880! Pretty amazing. The Minimum Rear Range Lighthouse is paired up with the Front Range Light to serve as guidance for ships that are headed north alongside the Delaware River and head towards cities like Philadelphia and Camden to their ports. The tower itself is 85 feet high and the red light which features a 1000 watt lamp gives off 500,000 candle power. It’s located on Mantua and Second streets in Paulsboro. The exact address for this lighthouse is 2nd St. & Mantua Ave., Paulsboro, NJ 08066 just in case you want to get a minivan rental and drive out to see it. By the way, this specific lighthouse is open only on the third week of each month from April to October. Admission is free, but donations are optional.
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
unlike some of the other lighthouses in New Jersey that are available just for historic landmarks and don’t work, the Hereford Lighthouse does work, but it’s also a museum where people can visit for a guided tour of the lighthouse. There is also a beautiful park that surrounds the lighthouse that has more than 200 plant varieties, so it also might interest those of you that are interested in Horticultural as well. The gardens are planted below the sea wall and some of them actually extend and climb the wall. These plants have won a lot of different awards, especially from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in Suburban Greening Award. The shop inside the lighthouse has various products for sale such as history books on the lighthouse, shirts, hats, and more.
Cape May Lighthouse
If you have an interest in lighthouses, I am sure you’ve heard of the Cape May Lighthouse! This is a very popular and well known lighthouse in the area and for good reason. The Cape may was built in 1859 and today, it’s still a navigation lighthouse in working condition. The people who visit this lighthouse can see the amazing view from the top, but you will have to hike up 199 steps so just be aware of that and make sure you wear comfortable shoes as well! The top of the lighthouse offers a 360 view of both the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s definitely a sight to see at least once in your life.
Sandy Hook
The sandy Hook lighthouse IS the oldest working lighthouse in the United States. It’s actually located on the Northern End of Sandy Hook. Not only is it in working condition, but it’s preserved really well, and unlike a lot of the other shapes synonymous with Lighthouses, the Sandy Hook lighthouse is octagonal in its shape, which dates back to the 18th century. This lighthouse has been in working service since 1764. The light has only been darkened a few times throughout history (such as the Civil War, Spanish War and WW1 and WW2), other than that it’s stayed lit and has been operating ever since 1764.
Minimum Rear Range Lighthouse
This lighthouse was first lit on New Year’s Eve in 1880! Pretty amazing. The Minimum Rear Range Lighthouse is paired up with the Front Range Light to serve as guidance for ships that are headed north alongside the Delaware River and head towards cities like Philadelphia and Camden to their ports. The tower itself is 85 feet high and the red light which features a 1000 watt lamp gives off 500,000 candle power. It’s located on Mantua and Second streets in Paulsboro. The exact address for this lighthouse is 2nd St. & Mantua Ave., Paulsboro, NJ 08066 just in case you want to get a minivan rental and drive out to see it. By the way, this specific lighthouse is open only on the third week of each month from April to October. Admission is free, but donations are optional.
Hereford Inlet Lighthouse
unlike some of the other lighthouses in New Jersey that are available just for historic landmarks and don’t work, the Hereford Lighthouse does work, but it’s also a museum where people can visit for a guided tour of the lighthouse. There is also a beautiful park that surrounds the lighthouse that has more than 200 plant varieties, so it also might interest those of you that are interested in Horticultural as well. The gardens are planted below the sea wall and some of them actually extend and climb the wall. These plants have won a lot of different awards, especially from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in Suburban Greening Award. The shop inside the lighthouse has various products for sale such as history books on the lighthouse, shirts, hats, and more.
Cape May Lighthouse
If you have an interest in lighthouses, I am sure you’ve heard of the Cape May Lighthouse! This is a very popular and well known lighthouse in the area and for good reason. The Cape may was built in 1859 and today, it’s still a navigation lighthouse in working condition. The people who visit this lighthouse can see the amazing view from the top, but you will have to hike up 199 steps so just be aware of that and make sure you wear comfortable shoes as well! The top of the lighthouse offers a 360 view of both the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s definitely a sight to see at least once in your life.
Sandy Hook
The sandy Hook lighthouse IS the oldest working lighthouse in the United States. It’s actually located on the Northern End of Sandy Hook. Not only is it in working condition, but it’s preserved really well, and unlike a lot of the other shapes synonymous with Lighthouses, the Sandy Hook lighthouse is octagonal in its shape, which dates back to the 18th century. This lighthouse has been in working service since 1764. The light has only been darkened a few times throughout history (such as the Civil War, Spanish War and WW1 and WW2), other than that it’s stayed lit and has been operating ever since 1764.