SHIP JOHN SHOAL LIGHTHOUSE - NEW JERSEY

 

A fourth-order Fresnel lens, manufactured by L. Sautter & Cie., was installed in the lantern room of the new Ship John Shoal Lighthouse and activated for the first time on August 10, 1877 with William Knowles as its first head keeper. Charles Sullivan and two assistants were in charge of the temporary light from 1874 to 1875, when William Knowles was appointed head keeper. To assist mariners in periods of limited visibility, the lighthouse was also equipped with a 1,200-pound fog bell that was struck a triple blow every forty-five seconds. In 1884, the characteristic of the light was changed from fixed red to fixed white with a red sector covering an arc of 185°, and in 1892, the light was changed to an occulting light. Large stone blocks, weighing from two to six tons each, were placed in a pile about sixty feet from the foundation cylinder in 1894 to protect the lighthouse from damage caused by running ice.  Around 1920, a concrete foundation, surmounted by a metal platform, was constructed atop one of the two piles of riprap that protected the station. A metal catwalk led from the lighthouse to the platform, which held several storage tanks that were too large to place in the small lighthouse. In 1931, the light was electrified through the installation of duplicate 800-watt lighting plants. A 32-volt, 250-watt bulb was placed inside the fourth-order Fresnel lens in lieu of incandescent oil vapor equipment previously used, and the lighthouse was wired for lights in the living quarters, fog-signal room, and storeroom. At the same time, a Tyfon air horn replaced the station’s fog bell. In 1973 the station was automated. A bank of solar panels was placed on the storage platform in 1977 to supply power to the unattended light.

Located 2.8 miles south of the mouth of the Cohansey River.

GPS: Latitude: 39.30528, Longitude: -75.3767