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Every October the NJ Lighthouse Society runs the Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey in order to raise funds for the state’s historic lighthouses and maritime sites. This year, we purchased an incomplete commemorative deck of cards at our starting point and then tried to complete the deck by collecting cards at each of the participating locations. There were 13 sites included in the challenge this year and I got to 5 of them on the Saturday of the challenge.

About midway through my day, I arrived at Barnegat Light State Park where I climbed to the top of old Barney and walked the Maritime Forest loop. A few blocks away is the Barnegat Light Museum, operated by the Barnegat Light Historical Society. The museum was a designated stop on the challenge, so I headed over there to take a look.

The museum is housed in the old one-room schoolhouse from 1903. It served as the town’s school until 1951 and was converted into a museum in 1954. It showcases the light’s original first-order Fresnel lens, as well as other lighthouse related exhibits.

The schoolhouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The grounds are maintained by the local garden club.

Lighthouse Challenge and related posts:

• Sandy Hook Lighthouse
• Navesink Twin Lights (coming soon)
• Absecon Lighthouse
• Tuckerton Seaport
• Barnegat Lighthouse
• Barnegat Maritime Forest Trail
• Barnegat Museum
• Sea Girt Lighthouse (coming soon)

Location: 208 Broadway, Barnegat Light, NJ 08006

Designation: National Register of Historic Places

Date designated or established: June 6, 1976

Date of my visit: 10/20/2018