Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The Horn Antenna is a National Historic Landmark listed individually on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The Horn Antenna, located on Crawford Hill in Holmdel Township, NJ was constructed in 1959 to support Project Echo, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s communications satellite project. It is significant for its association with the research work of two radio astronomers who worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories, Dr. Arno A. Penzias and Dr. Robert A. Wilson. In 1965 while using the Horn Antenna, Penzias and Wilson discovered the microwave background radiation that permeates the universe. Cosmologists quickly realized that Penzias and Wilson had made the most important discovery in modem astronomy since Edwin Hubble demonstrated in the 1920s that the universe was expanding. Their discovery provided evidence that confirmed George Gamow’s and Abbe Georges Lemaitre's "Big Bang" theory of the creation of the universe and forever changed the science of cosmology (the study of the history of the universe) from a field for unlimited theoretical speculation into a subject disciplined by direct observation. In 1978 Penzias and Wilson received the Nobel Prize for Physics for their discovery.  

This site was used for the testing and development of communication technologies by Bell Laboratories and their successor entities from 1929 until 2023. Known as Crawford Hill, it’s elevation (391 feet above sea level) and unobstructed views make it ideal for experimentation and discovery. The Township acquired the property in early 2024 and dedicated it as Dr. Wilson Park, in honor of the Nobel Laurate who resides in Holmdel. Holmdel's purchase of the site was the result of the public's interest and in acknowledgement of the site's significance.  

The 2025 Trust grant will help fund a Preservation Plan.