Barnegat Lighthouse to go back into service on Oct. 29, DEP says
BARNEGAT LIGHT - Old Barney will be relit on the 10th anniversary of superstorm Sandy after undergoing a $1.3 million facelift this past summer, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
The activation of its new lantern is to occur sometime between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Oct 29, and will coincide with a campfire storytelling event from about the same time to 9 p.m. on that Saturday, said Caryn Shinske, a DEP spokeswoman. Sunset is expected to occur at 5:59 p.m. on that date.
The lighthouse itself will not be open as interior work is still underway on the 172 foot-tall, 19th century beacon, Shinske said.
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“We anticipate hosting another event in the spring when we can reopen the interior for park visitors to climb,” she said.
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The iconic Jersey Shore structure spent the summer encased in scaffolding for a complete restoration project that included a new silicone paint job to preserve its iconic red and white colors; repairs to its brick masonry and dome-shaped roof; the installation of new windows and renovations to an interior steel platform for its brand-new light, which is imported from Austria.
The work started in March and Barnegat Lighthouse State Park remains open to the public.
The lighthouse first went into service in 1859 and was designed by Army Maj. Gen. George Meade, who went on to command the Union Army at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Barnegat Lighthouse NJ to go back into service on Oct. 29
