If you’re on one of our boats heading to the Jersey Shore, you may have noticed not one, but two lighthouses in the distance at the Navesink Light Station. So why the need for more than one lighthouse?

The second lighthouse was built to help mariners find their way, and differentiate the lighthouse in Sandy Hook from the Navesink Light Station. It was decided that there would be two lights instead of one. One lighthouse would have a rotating head, while the other would have a stationary light.

It was soon discovered that the cost of operating two lighthouses was a little out of budget, and the signaling system was introduced. This system helps differentiate each lighthouse by using a specific sequence of flashes to indicate which lighthouse they are.

In 1898 the North Tower was no longer needed, and as a result was only used as a backup.

Finally in 1949 the Navesink Light Station was decommissioned.

Now the Twin Lights stand as a historic site. If you’re a history buff, the Twin Lights Lighthouse is open for tours and holds special classes for kids. Visit the Twin Lights high in the Highlands hills, and take in the breathtaking view from one of the highest point on the East Coast.

Next time you take Seastreak down to the shore, be sure to look up at the iconic structures that helped guide sailors home one hundred years before.


Filed Under: Destination Guides, Visiting New Jersey