Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

New Jersey Historic Trust Affiliated with the Department of Community Affairs

Cape May Lighthouse

New Jersey Historic Preservation Bond Program
Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund
Grant Award: $20,142 (1992); $248,805 (1993); $622,158 (1995); $29,090 (2019)
Grant Recipient: Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts
County: Cape May
Municipality: Cape May

Constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1859, the Cape May Lighthouse is the last in a series of lighthouses to occupy this site and is one of the country's oldest lighthouses in continuous operation. In addition to serving an essential navigational function, the lighthouse is a popular tourist attraction and an integral part of the adjacent Cape May Point State Park. It remains a highly visible reminder of New Jersey's maritime legacy. 

A 1992 Trust grant funded the rehabilitation of the small Oil Storage House on the grounds for use as a visitor's center. A 1993 matching grant assisted the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities with the restoration of the tower, including the lantern and watch levels at the top of the lighthouse. The 1995 grant assisted in the final phase of the project, which included restoration of the tower's interior masonry, the 199-step spiral staircase, and the interior of both the Vestibule House and the Watch Room. The 2019 grant helped fund the cleaning, surveying, repair, and painting of the interior stairs and railings.  

For more information, visit: https://capemaymac.org/experience/cape-may-lighthouse/ 


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