|
|
Hereford Inlet, New Jersey
Item #HL710
A Christmas 2000 Exclusive limited edition of 10,000.
Hereford Inlet, lying directly between the mouth of the Delaware Bay and Great Egg Harbor, became an inviting waterway to fishermen and transport vessels. A small island, located prominently at the entrance of the inlet made for the perfect location for a small fishing village. In 1849, local fishermen started a life-saving station in Anglesca (now North Wildwood) directly on the spot where Hereford Inlet lighthouse now stands, to rescue passengers on troubled fishing vessels.
In 1872, Congress authorized funds for a lighthouse to be constructed on the island. The Army Corps of Engineers built a charming Victorian lighthouse, complete with five fireplaces and several rooms. This combination structure includes both the keeper's quarters and a tower containing a fourth order Fresnel lens.
After lighting the beacon in 1874, officials commissioned John Nick as the first lightkeeper. He served only three months when his boat capsized in the inlet, causing him to drown in the frigid waters. A second keeper, John Murch served four years. In 1878, Captain Freeling H. Hewitt took charge, filling the whale oil and winding the clock mechanism every four hours each night for the next 40 years. In 1913 a violent storm carved out a new coastline on the island and undermined the foundation of the lighthouse. The entire structure was moved 150 feet west. The building was abandoned in 1964 when the optic was moved by the Coast Guard to a nearby skeletal tower. In 1982, the City of North Wildwood leased the lighthouse from the Coast Guard and began a restoration project that returned the lighthouse to its 19th century appearance. In 1986, the Coast Guard relocated the optic to the lighthouse tower.
Today the lighthouse includes a museum and gift shop and again serves as an active aid to navigation.
Hereford Inlet, New Jersey Harbour Lights North Atlantic Region Item #HL710
A Christmas 2000 Exclusive limited edition of 10,000.
Hereford Inlet, lying directly between the mouth of the Delaware Bay and Great Egg Harbor, became an inviting waterway
Price: $142.25
|
|
