Navesink Twin Lighthouses

Twin Lights, a New Jersey State Historic Site perched 200 feet above sea level on the Navesink Highlands and located five miles south of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, has served as a steadfast guardian over the treacherous coastal waters of northern New Jersey since 1828. Originally named the Navesink Lightstation, it became known as the "Twin Lights of Highlands" to the many mariners who relied on its powerful beacons for navigation. As the primary seacoast light for New York Harbor, it was considered the brightest and most reliable beacon on the Atlantic Coast for generations of seafarers. The current lighthouse, constructed in 1862 from local brownstone at a cost of $74,000, replaced earlier structures that had fallen into disrepair. Designed by architect Joseph Lederle, the building features two non-identical towers connected by keepers' quarters and storage rooms—a distinctive design that made it easily recognizable among nearby lighthouses. With the advent of automated lights, offshore towers, radar, and other advanced navigational technologies in the 20th century, manned lighthouses gradually became obsolete. In 1962, the State of New Jersey acquired Twin Lights from the Borough of Highlands and opened it as a museum. Today, visitors can explore the lighthouse, climb the North Tower for breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, browse the exhibit gallery, and admire the impressive 9-foot bivalve lens housed in the generator building. 

Lighthouse Rd Highlands, NJ (732) 872-1814