Sandy Hook is the oldest operating lighthouse in the country. 4 acres of land was purchased in 1761 for the station, and construction of the light began in 1764. Although within New Jersey borders, the station was owned & controlled by the State of New York. In 1776, New York's Congress denied the British fleet's use of the light by removing and destroying the lens before their arrival to New York's harbor.
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The octagonal tower is 85 tall, with 9 inch thick brick lined walls. A Lewis multi-lamp system replaced the original lamp in 1827, and a 3rd order Fresnel lens was installed in 1857. The beacon was automated in 1962, and the station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1964. Other than a few coats of paint here and there, the only major restoration of the structure was performed way back in 1863.
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