The Absecon Lighthouse is a coastal

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

located in the north end of

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...

, overlooking

Absecon Inlet Absecon Inlet is a narrow strait on the southeastern coast of New Jersey, United States.''Merriam Webster's Geographical Dictionary, Third Edition'', pp. 3-4. Geography Absecon Inlet leads from the Atlantic Ocean through barrier islands in Atla ...

. At it is the tallest lighthouse in the state of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

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 (optics), lens which reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections. The simpler Dioptrics, d ...

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 an American military officer who served in the United States Army and the Union army as Major General in command of the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War from 1 ...

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 Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

, the

Historic American Buildings Survey The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...

, 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 wit ...

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.

References

External links

Historic Absecon Lighthouse
- official site, visitor information
Absecon Light at American Byways

HABS/HAER record of the Absecon lighthouse

Absecon Lighthouse
- from Lighthousefriends.com

NJ Division of Parks and Forestry {{authority control 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

Museum

See also

References

External links