Page 25 - 2024 Southern NJ Vacationer

THE 25th LIGHTHOUSE CHALLENGE
The New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge was first organized by the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. In 1998, Rick Weber, a NJLHS member, while guiding tours at Sandy Hook Light, realized many people wanted to see other lights, but rarely had a chance due to limited openings. New Jersey is somewhat unique because its ten land-based lighthouses are only 40 to 50 miles apart and fairly accessible. During the first 10 years, the Challenge was sponsored and organized by the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. They handled the advertising, souvenirs, and provided staffing at the sites by NJLHS volunteers. The Challenge became not only an opportunity for people to enjoy the drive and learn about lighthouses but it gave the individual lighthouses a financial boost. Over the years, in order to keep the Challenge challenging, more sites were added to the original ten, including additional lights, lifesaving stations and related museums.
The Challenge today is the longest continually running lighthouse challenge in the country. It attracts 1500 to 2000 participants from all over the country (and sometimes from other countries) who take the two-day weekend to visit the lighthouses, lifesaving stations and museum. This year, 2024, the Challenge takes place on October 19th & 20th. Join them and celebrate the 25th Lighthouse ChallengeofNewJersey.Formoreinformation,visittheirwebsitewww.lighthousechallengenj.com l
East Point Lighthouse
can immerse themselves in the history of the area by exploring exhibits that showcase the vital role that life-saving stations played in the maritime history in Stone Harbor and Ocean City. Life-saving stations were deemed necessary in the mid-1800s to deal with shipwrecks along the coast. One of 45 such facilities in the Garden State was built in Ocean City in 1885.
Tatham Life Saving Station: Built in 1895, it is the oldest building in Stone Harbor and has been in continuous service to the county as an American Legion Post and a museum, honoring the history of the life saving service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the military.
The Ocean City Life Saving Station: Dating from 1886, it was one of 45 stations along the New Jersey coast before the modern-day Coast Guard was formed in 1915. Today, the station is the only surviving example of the four 1882-Type stations built in New Jersey, and one of six surviving buildings of this type built between 1882 and 1891. Over the years this station has faced disrepair and demolition, but local efforts have saved the structure.
Both the Tatham and Ocean City life saving stations are listed on The National Register of Historic Places, as are East Point, Cape May, Absecon and Hereford Inlet lighthouses. l
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