Cape May Lighthouse Celebrates National Lighthouse Day - August 7, 2016

-
Cape May Lighthouse Celebrates National Lighthouse Day
Sunday, August 7, 2016

Celebrate the majestic beacons that are America's maritime treasures - lighthouses - during National Lighthouse Day on Sunday, August 7 and enjoy special family friendly activities at the Cape May Lighthouse from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

An aid to navigation since 1859 and one of the oldest continually operating lighthouses in the United States, the historic Cape May Lighthouse is hosting a day of family activities and a crafts show at the base of the lighthouse, sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC). Hands-on, kid-friendly activities include pirate-hat making, sing-alongs and games. Meet the Cape May Lighthouse Keepers and browse among crafts vendors who are setting up shop on the grounds and selling one-of-a-kind handmade goods including jewelry, photography, original artwork, nautical and nature-themed merchandise.


Admission to the activities on the grounds is free. Admission to climb the lighthouse is $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12).

The Cape May Lighthouse is located in Cape May Point State Park, Lower Township, New Jersey.

In 1857, the Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the Cape May Lighthouse and the beacon was first lit on October 31, 1859. By the 1980s, because of limited federal funds, the Coast Guard began to lease lighthouses around the country to groups willing to maintain and restore the structures. In 1983, the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC), Victorian Cape May's leader in historic preservation, expressed interest in restoring the Cape May Lighthouse to its original condition. In December 1986, the Coast Guard leased the tower to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) Division of Parks and Forestry. MAC, in turn, subleased the Lighthouse from the State of New Jersey, with the mission of restoring, maintaining, and opening the structure to the public. MAC opened the ground floor to the public on July 18, 1987, and the full tower on May 28, 1988. With an annual visitation of some 80,000 people a year who pay to climb (and perhaps as many more who visit the lighthouse and grounds without climbing), the Cape May Lighthouse is one of the most popular attractions on the Jersey Cape. Some 2.5 million visitors have climbed to the top since May, 1988.

Congress designated National Lighthouse Day on Aug. 7, 1989, marking the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Lighthouse Act and the commissioning of the first federal lighthouse in the United States. The purpose was to provide recognition for the important role that lighthouses have played in the history of this country, and the values of safety, heroism, and American ingenuity that they represent, as well as honoring and encouraging continued restoration efforts for existing lighthouses, many of which had fallen into disrepair.

The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts & Humanities (MAC) is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the preservation, interpretation, and cultural enrichment of the Cape May region for its residents and visitors. MAC membership is open to all. For information about MAC's year-round schedule of tours, festivals, and special events, call 609-884-5404 or 800-275-4278, or visit MAC's web site www.capemaymac.org. For information about restaurants, accommodations and shopping, call the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cape May at 609-884-5508 or visit www.capemaychamber.com. For information about historic accommodations, contact Cape May Historic Accommodations at www.capemaylodging.com.


Do you enjoy the articles and features that The History Girl produces each week? 
If so, consider a donation to keep the movement going!
Location: Cape May Lighthouse, 215 Light House Ave, Cape May Point, NJ 08212, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for the comments!

Popular posts from this blog

The Birth and Death of a Ski Area: Craigmeur

-
Image
The Birth and Death of a Ski Area: Craigmeur Written by Elizabeth Holste By the 1930s skiing was already becoming a popular sport in the United States. Major department stores like Bamberger’s, Gimbel’s, Sak’s and Wanamaker’s were even selling ski equipment. Some even gave ski lessons inside their stores on ski slides. In 1935, the first winter sports show was held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Read more

The Golden Age of Shopping: Downtown Newark

-
Image
The Golden Age of Shopping: Downtown Newark Written by NJ Historian In a time before malls and regional shopping centers filled New Jersey's landscape, Newark was a prime shopping destination. Imagine hopping into the family car, on a bus, or train in the 1940s or 1950s and spending the day in Newark shopping, eating at restaurants, or watching a show. Crowds on busy streets passed by stores with large plate-glass windows displaying the newest fashions and most modern conveniences. While the intersection of Broad and Market streets, known as the Four Corners, was Newark’s commercial hub, just a few blocks away, the area around Military Park presented a different kind of experience  It was known as "Ladies’ Mile" for the stores that catered to the elegant ladies who bought the finest objects in America. This was the Golden Age in Newark. But as quickly as it came, it ended by the 1970s, when new indoor malls and big-box stores began to spring up in suburban locations s
Read more

The Industrial Remains of Long Pond Ironworks

-
Image
The Industrial Remains of Long Pond Ironworks Written by NJ Historian The Highlands Region of New Jersey was once home to many industrious ironworks and forges. The forges at Long Pond, Ringwood, Midvale, Pompton, Bloomingdale, and Charlottenburg produced iron products for the young and quickly growing U.S. economy and even provided materials for troops during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. All of these forges, with the exception of Long Pond, are no longer standing. Today, nestled within Long Pond Ironworks State Park, the remains of a colonial furnace and two Civil War era furnaces remind hikers, naturalists, and visitors of the rich ores once mined and smelted in this region of northern New Jersey, not far from the New York border. The remnants of the town left behind by progress and time are indicative of the immense operations that thrived and provided jobs to thousands over the course of their histories. Time has allowed much of this industri
Read more