Hereford Inlet Fall Lighthouse, New Jersey
Limited Edition
Back to New Jersey Lighthouses
To order online, enter quantity in boxes and click "Add to Your Shopping Cart" button (above). For shopping cart help and offline ordering info, click here.
History of Hereford Inlet Fall Lighthouse, New Jersey
In 1872 Congress authorized funds for a lighthouse to be constructed on Angelsea Island The Army Corps of Engineers built a charming Victorian lighthouse, complete with five fireplaces, and several rooms.
After lighting the beacon in 1874, officials commissioned John Nick as the first Lightkeeper. He served only three months when his boat tragically capsized in the inlet, causing him to drown in the frigid waters. In 1913 when a violent storm carved out a new coastline on the island and undermined the foundation beneath the lighthouse; the building sat precariously over the surf with one corner protruding over the edge. Officials relocated the entire structure 150 feet west to a higher and safer and dune. When moved, the lighthouse was rotated 180 degrees, changing the direction in which it was facing. The sentinel continued to serve mariners until 1964 when the Coast Guard moved the optic to a nearby skeleton tower and abandoned the lighthouse. In 1982 the City of North Wildwood acquired it, spent several years restoring and now operates the lighthouse.