Well, more accurately, Barnegat Light, on The Jersey Shore, has been selected as one of 21 nominees for "America's Coolest Small Towns." from coast to coast.
Barnegat Light is located at the northern end of Long Beach Island. This quaint little borough of less than one square mile has a winter population of a little more than 700 and hasn't changed much over the last century.
Fishing is still "big business," just as it was when the English Crown first deeded the area in 1692. Barnegat Light is the homeport to many members of the East Coast's Longline Fleet. These fishermen set their sights on larger fish such as tuna and swordfish and regularly fish in high seas several hundred miles offshore.
Barnegat Light's most famous inhabitant is "Old Barney," the red and white-banded Barnegat Lighthouse situated at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. This 172-foot-tall structure, designed by Gen. George Meade and commissioned January 1, 1859, is the second tallest lighthouse in the United States. Although the tower's light was "snuffed out" in 1944, "Old Barney" still attracts thousands of visitors every summer to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.
Besides being home to Barnegat Lighthouse, one of the last remaining tracts of maritime forest on Long Beach Island is also located in the park. Birdwatchers can view some diverse species of our "feathered friends," as the park is a key resting and feeding ground for birds migrating to and from their breeding areas.
Barnegat Light is mostly inhabited by retirees and former "Long Beach Islanders," who now maintain summer homes there.
Barnegat Lighthouse State Park is a New Jersey icon, is one New Jersey's longest offshore islands, about four miles at sea, but able to be reached by car.
Unlike many state and federal parks, admission is free, parking is conveniently close to the lighthouse, one of the tallest in the nation and there is an interpretative center open limited hours which has displays on the history of this lighthouse, the environment around it and the wildlife, particularly birds, that frequent it. If you are lucky, in the winter you may catch a Harbor Seal taking a sunbath on the jetty which extends out into the ocean. The part is extraordinarily small, but in addition to the lighthouse, walkway jetty and interpretative center, there is a small maritime forest with a trail. Jan. 1, 2009 the light was reactivated after six decades of darkness with a pencil-beam that can be seen 21 miles from The Jersey Shore.
The Friends of Island Beach State Park sponsor activities including a seasonal lecture series. The slender round tower is red on top and white on the bottom. The 217 steps can be climbed for $1 in season; free out of season. The view from the top is breath-taking and tells the story of The Jersey Shore. To the north is Island Beach State Park, looking much the way it did when Henry Hudson sailed in the area. To the south is dense development with the Atlantic City casinos visible on the horizon on a clear day. There's fishing for the jetties and docks, but no swimming.
Karl Hess, Barnegat, Your Agent on The Jersey Shore
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