FACTS ABOUT BARNEGAT LIGHTHOUSE

When was the first lighthouse at Barnegat Inlet built?

• Built in 1834. Cost - $6,000. 40ft tower of brick.

What happened to the lighthouse?

• Due to years of storm erosion and the southern migration of the inlet, it toppled into the sea. It was quickly replaced with a temporary wooden structure.

When was the present Lighthouse built?

• Built in 1858. Cost $45,000. 172ft brick tower.

Who made the plans for the lighthouse?

• General George Gordon Mead sent plans to Congress. Army Corps of Engineers constructed the lighthouse.

How thick are the walls of the lighthouse?

• The outer conical wall has a thickness of 4ft 6in at the base and 1ft 6in at the top.
• The inner cylindrical wall has a thickness of 9in throughout.

What are the vents in the walls of the lighthouse for?

• The air space between the two walls provides ventilation and a certam amount of "give" in high winds.

How old is the lighthouse?

• The lighthouse turned 140 years old in 1998.

When was the lighthouse first lit?

• First lit on January 1, 1859.

What kind of lens did the lighthouse have?

• The lighthouse had a 1^st order Fresnel lens. It was made of 1,027 glass prisms. Cost - $15,000. The light would flash every 10 seconds at each point of the compass. The flash could be seen as much as 30 miles away.

Where is the lens from?

• The lens was made in Paris, 1847, by Henry Lepaute. The mountings were bronze throughout and the whole assembly weighed over flve tons.
• The technology for the lens was created by Augustin Fresnel, a French optical expert and mathematician.

What did the lamp burn?

• The lamp first burned lard.
• 1898 converted to kerosene.
• 1910 converted to incandescent oil.

When was the lighthouse decommissioned?

• Lighthouse was retired in 1927 - after 69 years.

What happened to the lens when the lighthouse was decommissioned?

• In 1927 the lens was removed and sent to Tompkinsville Lighthouse Depot on Staten Island.
• 1934 the lens was moved to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
• 1955 the lens was brought back and is now on display at the Barnegat Light Museum located on Central Ave. and 5th Street.
  

What is Barnegat Lightship?

• Barnegat Lightship was anchored 8 miles off the coast of Barnegat Light. Commissioned in 1927, the Lightship replaced the duties of the lighthouse.

When did the lightship stop working?

• The lightship was replaced by electronic navigation in 1965. It is no longer anchored at sea.

What is the criteria for lighthouse orders?

• 1^st order, 2^nd order, 3^rd order, 4^th order
• Height of the lighthouse
• Size of the lens
• Distance the light could be seen
  

How many lighthouse keepers worked to keep the lighthouse running?

• Head Lighthouse keeper, 1st assistant and 2nd assistant. Each worked an 8-hour shift

What did lighthouse keepers do?

• The keepers main duties were to
• 1. Keep the lamp lit.
• 2. Keep the lighthouse clean.
• 3. Carry the oil and supplies to the top of the lighthouse.
• 4. During high winds, rotate the lens by hand.

Where did the keepers live?

• The keepers lived in a 20-room Victorian cottage, opposite the lighthouse entrance. It was built in 1889 and was in the process of being swept out to sea, when it was demolished, shortly before WWI in 1926.

When was the lighthouse turned over to the state?

• The land was first turned over to the state in 1926. The Coast Guard took control during WWII. After the war, the state gained control again. It was dedicated as a state park in 1958.

When were lighthouse renovations done?

• Renovations began in August 1990 and were completed in June 1991.

What were the renovations performed on the lighthouse?

• Stabilization of the center post in order to level the stair treads and the watch room floor.
• Restoration of the brick tower masonry.
• Installation of stainless steel masonry anchors in the tower interior wall to provide support to stairs.
• Repair cracked and corroded areas in the lantern and watch decks.
• Erection of a watch level exterior grille.
• Installation of additional balusters of the stairs.
• Installation of a transparent ceiling in the watch room.
• Repainting

When was the jetty constructed?

• Construction began in December 1987 and was completed in August 1991.

When was the jetty walkway constructed?

• Construction began in May 1992 and completed in June 1992.