June Beam 2007

The Beam Journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc. www.njlhs.org SANDY HOOK LIGHTHOUSE Kraig Anderson, courtesy of lighthousefriends.com Description: In 1764, the eight-year-old child prodigy Mozart was As the lighthouse’s primary entertaining in Europe’s royal courts, Beethoven’s birth was still six purpose was to guide vessels years in the future, Thomas Jefferson would not pen the Declaration into New York Harbor, Jonias of Independence for a dozen more years, and the oldest lighthouse Smith, clerk of the Master and that is still standing in the United States was put into service. Wardens of the Port of New York, was authorized to collect The first landmark discernible by sailors approaching New York Har- three pence a ton from ships bor is the Navesink Highlands. Extending from the base of the head- passing the lighthouse and en- lands is a low-lying spit known as Sandy Hook, which stretches tering the harbor. The money over four miles into the Atlantic and poses a serious navigational collected was then used to pay hazard for vessels seeking safe harbor. the keeper and purchase sup- Records show that a lighthouse at the tip of Sandy Hook had been plies like oil, tallow, and coal suggested as early as 1679, but it wasn’t until several shipwrecks required at the lighthouse. In occurred in the first three months of 1761 that decisive action was the first year, £487 was col- taken. On March 13, 1761, forty-three prominent New York merchants lected, easily covering the successfully petitioned Caldweller Colden, President of His Majesty’s year’s expenses of £431. It Council of New York, for a lighthouse to mark the entrance to New seems the Port of New York had York Harbor. a self-sustaining venture as This wood cut drawing of Sandy £451 was collected the next Hook appeared in the Scribner’s Lotteries are apparently not a recent invention as one was proposed year, while the expenses were Monthly in 1879 to raise funds to acquire land on Sandy Hook and to pay for con- only £407. struction of the lighthouse. By virtue of an Act of the Colony of New York, passed on May 19, 1761, a lottery was established to raise The tall lighthouse on the low-lying sandy spit was easily seen by £3000. 10,000 tickets were to be sold at a price of 40 Shillings(£2). mariners, but being the only structure of any height for several miles, 1,684 tickets were to be “fortunate,” 8,316 blank, and 15% of the it apparently was also susceptible to lightning strikes. In June of lottery sales would be retained for the lighthouse. The winning num- 1766, the New York Mercury reported: bers were published in the October 5, 1761 edition of the New York The 26th Instant, the Lighthouse at Sandy Hook was struck by Mercury. Lightning, and twenty panes of the Glass Lanthorn broke to The profit from the first lottery proved inadequate for the entire pieces; the chimney and Porch belonging to the kitchen was project, but it did at least fund the purchase of four acres on Sandy broken down, and some people that were in the House received Hook from Esik and Richard Hartshorne. A second lottery, held on a little Hurt, but are since recovered. ‘Tis said the Gust was June 14, 1763, was authorized to raise £3000 to see the lighthouse attended with a heavy shower of Hail. completed. Early in the Revolutionary War, the New York Congress resolved Originally called the New York Lighthouse, the tower on Sandy Hook that the lighthouse should be destroyed or the lighting apparatus was built of rubblestone under the guidance of Isaac Conro, a ma- dismantled lest it fall into enemy hands. Major William Malcolm son and builder from New York City. The beacon was first lighted on received orders in a letter dated March 6, 1776 to “take the glass out June 11, 1764, and a week later an article in the New York Mercury of the lantern, and save it if possible; but if you find this impracti- announced the lighting and described the lighthouse. cable you will break the glass. You will also endeavor to pump the oil out of the cisterns into casks, or not being able to procure casks, On Monday Evening last the New York Lighthouse erected at you will pump it out onto the ground. In short, you will use your best Sandy Hook was lighted for the first time. The House is of an discretion to render the lighthouse entirely useless.” Major Malcolm’s Octagonal Figure, having eight equal sides; the Diameter at the mission must have been partly successful as a letter to Colonel Base is 29 Feet and at the top of the Wall 15 Feet. The lanthorn George Meade dated March 12 states: “Received from Wm. Malcolm is 7 Feet high; the circumference 33 Feet. The whole constructure eight copper lamps, two tackle falls and bocks, and three casks, and of the Lanthorn is Iron; the top covered with copper. There are a part of a cask of oil, being articles from the lighthouse on Sandy 48 Oil Blazes. The Building from the surface is Nine Stories; the Hook.” whole from the Bottom to Top 103 Feet. Continued on Page 14 Number 73 The Beam September 2008 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT From So, where did you go this summer, After the past two weekends at the Warren County Farm Fair Com- the and what lighthouse adventures did munity Outreach, I am so proud of our organization and the volun- the you have? Hopefully there were many teers who manned the exhibit and the Ways & Means booth. They Editor’’’ s and you’re just procrastinating writ- traveled near and far and spent many hours for several days. They ing your article for The Beam!! Don’t handed-out hundreds of Challenge and Membership brochures, Desk... be shy—send your photos and/or talked to children and adults about lighthouses, and sold merchan- your story to us! dise using the cash register and credit card machine. Thank you all Mary Beth for your time, gas, and energy—The Society definitely benefited Doherty We are continuously looking for from all your efforts. “news” to print. We want to hear from you, our members, please send us any Now I am going to appeal to all members of the Society to think lighthouse information that you want about volunteering in some other areas. The Society has needed a to share. We will do our best to print what we receive as space Programs Chairperson for most of the calendar year. We are also in allows in each issue. Try to submit your information as early as need of a Trip Coordinator since Betty Smith resigned, and now I possible! must sadly inform the Society that we will need a Coordinator at Sandy Hook. Al Smith called me recently to let me know that he will not continue as Coordinator at Sandy Hook in 2009. This makes The Beam, the official journal of the New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc., three very important volunteer positions that are open and vital to is published quarterly, March, June, September and December. Membership the life and growth of the Society. dues are $20.00 single and $25.00 family, and are for the calendar year. Back issues are available free for members joining mid-year. All materials are Al Smith has been handling the operation at Sandy Hook for many copyrighted and cannot be borrowed or reproduced without permission of years. He has traveled many miles between Audubon Park and the New Jersey Lighthouse Society. The NJLHS - New Jersey Lighthouse Society, Inc., is a non-profit educational corporation (501c3). Sandy Hook as well as spending many hours making up schedules by phone and at the Hook. He leaves a very efficient operation and OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS he will be missed. President Yvonne Miller Thies (609) 654-2585 These are probably among the most important Chairperson/Coordi- 1st Vice President Mary Beth Doherty (973) 966-5573 nator positions in our organization. Programs keep the membership 2nd Vice President Brett Franks (856) 256-0881 informed, interested and in contact with each other. Trips entertain, Recording Secty. Bob Gleason (732) 238-7066 educate and are an important source of income. Sandy Hook is a Corresponding Secty. Jayne Swope (856) 468-2561 very integral part of New Jersey Lighthouse Society. We fulfill our Treasurer Debbie Megonigal (609) 268-0779 purpose at Sandy Hook like no other lighthouse in New Jersey. We Board Member Tom Laverty (732) 872-2966 have been a part of the preservation of the light and the keeper’s Board Member Doreen Berson (732) 202-7420 house, we educate and inform with every tour conducted, and the Board Member Cindy Mitzen (908) 281-6879 Board Member Jim Cope (609) 587-6266 gift shop is also a source of income for the operation at Sandy Hook Board Member Marion Hudspeth (609) 877-1393 and the Society. COMMITTEES For all of these reasons, I implore you to consider volunteering for these positions. There are very good and efficient people in this Archivist Elinor Veit (609) 652-1876 organization who can pick up the reigns that Al, BJ and I have been Challenge Co-Chair Doreen Berson (732) 202-7420 holding. We need new people with new ideas to keep the Society Challenge Co-Chair Laura Portée (908) 222-0107 fresh and vibrant. NJLHS is coming into its own in the State of New Comm.

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