Barnegat Lighthouse was designed in 1857 by Lt. George G. Meade, U.S. Army Engineer and later Commander of the Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg. Barnegat, along with the Fire Island light to the north, helped navigators pinpoint the entrance to New York harbor. "Old Barney" served as an aid to navigation until it was decommissioned in 1944.

One of the Jersey shore's most popular historic sites, Barnegat Lighthouse was closed to the public in the summer of 1989 when severe deterioration made visitation hazardous. The Trust grant helped fund structural repairs that made the lighthouse accessible to visitors once again.

For more information, visit: https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/barnegatlighthousestatepark.html