 |
|
James E. McGreevey |
William D. Watley |
|
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Karen Wolfe - 609.292.2523 |
| NEW JERSEY’S
AUTUMN ‘LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE’ … Trenton, N.J. (October 1, 2003)—Set your sights on New Jersey’s lights and get ready to meet the challenge by visiting eleven of the state’s lighthouses over a two-day period, Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19. Collect “lighthouse trading cards” along the way to win a certificate of accomplishment for visiting all of them. The fourth annual Lighthouse Challenge is expected to draw nearly 2,000 participants from all over the east coast, as word has spread that it’s not only enlightening, it’s really fun. While it’s possible to complete the 210-mile tour in one day, it’s more rewarding to stretch it to two days and take in some shore scenery along the way, according to Nancy Byrne, executive director, New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism. “October is a perfect time of year for lighthouse-hopping, interspersed with beach-strolling. Our lighthouses are such varied styles, from traditional tall, round towers to structures that resemble beach cottages,” says Byrne. “We have the oldest lighthouse still in operation and the most modern one with solar-powered light. Some are also museums, several are in nature preserves, with beaches and hiking trails and one is the centerpiece of a recreated working maritime village." The northernmost and first lighthouse on the “challenge” is Sandy Hook, the country’s oldest still in operation facility. Built in 1764 to guide sailors into New York Harbor, it is on the grounds of historic Fort Hancock and part of Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, a six-mile strip of beaches, salt marshes and hiking trails. Phone 732-872-5970; www.nps.gov/gate. The second through eleventh lighthouses follow in order from north to south. Complete details and driving directions are listed on the New Jersey Lighthouse Society’s website, http://njlhs.burlco.org. The Twin Lights of Navesink, located in the Highlands, was built in 1862. It is a castellated brownstone structure towering 250 feet above Sandy Hook Bay and houses an extensive museum of lighthouse and life-saving artifacts, complemented by films and slide shows. Phone 732-872-1814; www.twin-lights.org. The Sea Girt Lighthouse in Sea Girt, was built in 1896 to bridge the 40-mile gap between Barnegat Light and Twin Lights. It's square, red brick tower is attached to the keeper’s dwelling, an L-shaped Victorian cottage, that has been restored and furnished according to the period. Phone 732-974-0514; www.lonekeep.com/seagirtlighthouse. Barnegat Lighthouse on Long Beach Island, has a distinctive red and white “daymark” to distinguish it from other lighthouses during daylight hours. The 165-foot, red-and-white round tower was built in 1835 and is listed on the state and national Registers of Historic Places. The old schoolhouse nearby is a museum, displaying the lighthouse’s original Fresnel lens and photographs of the village during the first half of the twentieth century. Phone 609-494-2016; www.state.nj.us/dep/forestry/parks/barnlig.htm. Tucker’s Island located at the Tuckerton Seaport, is a recreation of the original lighthouse erected in 1848. It stands amidst a 40-acre maritime village that recreates 19th century life and work of the watermen on the bays of New Jersey. Phone 609-296-8868; www.tuckertonseaport.org. Absecon Lighthouse in Atlantic City is a yellow and black round tower that was built in 1857 and contains its original Fresnel lens. Developed in 1822 by Augustin Fresnel to replace kerosene lamps, these lenses weighed almost ten tons and were so perfectly balanced that they could be easily rotated by hand. Phone 609-441-9272; www.abseconlighthouse.org. Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in the Wildwoods is a State and National Historic Site. Built in 1874, the lighthouse is one of the finest appointed on the Jersey shore. Resembling a vacation home, it features five fireplaces and beautiful living quarters set in a garden of flowers and herbs. Phone 609-522-4520; www.herefordlighthouse.org. Cape May Lighthouse was built in 1859. The 157-foot white tower is surrounded by a 190-acre nature park with hiking trails, fishing and picnic areas. Phone 609-884-5404; www.capemaymac.org. East Point Lighthouse located in Heislerville, is a square two-story house with a 40-foot light tower on top. It was built in 1849 to mark the mouth of the Maurice River. Phone 856-327-3714. Finns Point Rear Range Light near Pennsville, is an unusual wrought-iron, open-frame structure, built in Buffalo, NY, in the late 1800s and moved into place by train and mule wagon. Phone 856-935-1487. Tinicum Rear Range Lighthouse found in Paulsboro, was built in 1880 to guide ships heading north on the Delaware River to Philadelphia and is still an active light. Phone 856-423-1505. The New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism offers a comprehensive Lighthouse Guide and the New Jersey Lighthouse Society maintains a website, with descriptions, hours of operation and driving directions. http://njlhs.burlco.org. For further information, contact the New Jersey Office of Travel & Tourism at (609) 292-2470 or visit the NJ Tourism website at www.visitnj.org.
|
|