Absecon Light
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Absecon Quick Facts
Year Station Established: 1857
Is the Light operational? yes
Year Light First Lit: 1857
Year Automated:
Shape: Conical
Tower Height: 169 ft.
Original Optic: 1st Order, Fresnel
Present Optic: 1st Order, Fresnel
Existing Keepers Quarters? NO
Year Constructed:
Number of Stories:
Architectural Style:
Construction Materials:
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Absecon Lighthouse
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Click here for more
Photos
(3 photos, 60KB total download)
Last Visited: October, 2001
History/Info:
Dr. Jonathan Pitney, later called the "Father of Atlantic City," was
concerned about the loss of ships and lives along Absecon Beach, which
gave the beach the nickname "the Graveyard Inlet." In the mid-1830's
Pitney, who had come to Absecon some 10 years earlier began his efforts to
secure a lighthouse for the beach, to warn mariners of its dangerous
shore. The schooners LOUISA, Ann, Nile, DUROC ships George Cannon,
Frankfort and Gherge's Kahn were among the scores of vessels that met
their fates on the shores between the Great and Little Egg Harbors.
Finally a Congressional appropriation of $5,000 was voted upon, with the
provision that a favorable report should be received by an officer of the
Navy Department.
In the early 1840's a reluctant Navy Department was ordered to make a
study to determine the need or lack of need, for a lighthouse on Absecon
Beach. Five thousand dollars was appropriated for the study by Congress.
Commodore La Vallette was instructed to investigate and report on the
feasibility of the project. He examined records and reports by Dr. Pitney,
but recommended not constructing a lighthouse on Absecon Beach.
A Joint Resolution (No 6.) on April 17, 1846 requested that New Jersey
Senators and Representatives in Congress use their influence to get an
appropriation for constructing a lighthouse. However, no further action
with regard to building a lighthouse on Absecon Beach was undertaken by
the Federal government as a result of the resolution.
On April 16, 1854, the ship POWHATTAN, on a voyage from Harve to New York,
and carrying 250 German emigrants and others was driven ashore during a
severe Northeast storm.
The loss of life was so great that Congress finally gave in, and on
December 5, 1854 purchased the land on which the lighthouse would be
built, from the Camden and Atlantic Land Company for the sum of $520.00.
Work began on the lighthouse in 1856. The surveys and plans for the
lighthouse were signed by Lt. George Gordon Meade, who also played a role
in the design and construction of Barnegat Lighthouse. Indeed, the stories
of the two lighthouses are similar. Both were built to warn ships of very
dangerous inlets. They were built within a few years of each other, and to
very similar specifications. Both fought extensive battles with erosion.
The lighthouse was first lighted January 15, 1857. The engineers in charge
of the construction were General Hartman Bache, General George Gordon
Meade, and Colonel William F. Raynolds of the Army Corp of Engineers.
The Absecon Lighthouse was constructed 700 feet above mean high water
level, at what is now Pacific Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue's block. The
sea has receded so that the lighthouse now stands over 2 blocks inshore.
The lighthouse is 167 feet tall to the focal plane of the lens, the
equivalent of a sixteen story building. Two hundred twenty eight steps
lead visitors to the base of the light platform, and there are 12 more
steps to the light-room proper.
Its inside diameter is a uniform 10 feet. It was built with 598,634
bricks, and cost a total of $52,187.00 to construct.
The lamps were first lighted the night of January 15, 1857. The lamps were
of the Funck's design and fueled with mineral oil. The light from these
lamps was intensified by a First Order Fixed Fresnel lens. Together they
projected a beam of white light that was visible 19-20 miles at sea in the
direction of NE by N around EW to SW. The reason for the fixed light was
simple. Absecon and Barnegat were very much sister lighthouses, having
been built to a similar architectural style. To distinguish them at night
they were given different lens. Since Absecon was completed before
Barnegat and the machinery necessary for a fixed light is less expensive
and elaborate than that of a flashing light, Absecon received the fixed
lens. Two years later, when Barnegat was completed, it received a flashing
light to distinguish it from its sister to the south.
When completed in 1857, the lighthouse was left in its unpainted natural
red brick color. It remained in this natural state until 1868 when it
received a coating of parge. Later painted in 50 foot bands of white, red
and white which helped differentiate it from its white and red neighbor to
the north. In 1895, it received orange, black and orange bands which it
kept until 1948. One reason for the change was to help the lighthouse
stand out from the red brick keeper's house. In 1948, the lighthouse was
repainted with white, blue and white bands. In 1963, the lighthouse was
repainted again, this time back to white, red and white bands.
The first keeper was Daniel Scull who was appointed November 25, 1856. He
was paid 600.00 annually or $11.54 a week.
The loss of shipping continued however and at least 64 more ocean-going
craft foundered on Absecon Beach between 1847-1856.
The lighthouse was dimmed July 15, 1933, but there was already an
agreement between the Federal Government and Atlantic City to turn the
site over to the city for use as a park for $1.00 per year. The lighthouse
was built on a plot of ground deeded to the Government by Chaulkley Leeds,
Atlantic City's first Mayor. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred
formally to Atlantic City in 1946. The two original keeper's houses were
demolished and the demolition of the nearby Life Saving Station soon
followed. Unable to maintain the lighthouse, the city sold it to the State
of New Jersey, in 1966.
Source:
New
Jersey Lighthouse SocietyHours:
Public Hours:
Monday 11:00am - 4:00pm
Tuesday & Wednesday - closed
Thursday - Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm
July - August 10:00am - 5:00pm Daily
Latitude/Longitude: 39°22'N 24°25'W
Directions:
click
here for map
- Take Garden State Parkway to Atlantic City Expressway.
- Turn left onto Ocean Way.
- Take a right onto North Ohio Ave.
- Take your 5th left onto Atlantic Ave.
- Follow Atlantic Ave until you come to Rhode Island Ave. Take a right onto
Rhode Island Ave.
- There is parking on the right, across the street from the lighthouse.
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