Barnegat Lighthouse

For ships running along New Jersey’s coast, Barnegat Inlet was a dangerous opening. Shoals extended offshore, and vessels bound for New York had to identify the inlet and keep clear of shallow water. The first lighthouse at Barnegat stood from the 1830s, but erosion threatened the structure, and the coast needed a stronger beacon. Army engineer George Meade designed a replacement tower, which was lit on January 1, 1859.

The new lighthouse was built as a first-order seacoast light, powerful enough to serve traffic moving along the coast rather than only local boats. Keepers maintained the lamp and lens through storms and seasonal weather. A light station was never only a tower: it required supplies, repairs, and people who watched the water night after night. The inlet’s shifting shoals remained a hazard even as the beam improved navigation.