Absecon Light
Lighthouse · Atlantic County, New Jersey

Absecon Light is a lighthouse in Atlantic County, New Jersey. New Jersey has 26 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow, 2 of them in Atlantic County.
The tower stands about 171 feet tall (the tallest of 13 measured in New Jersey); its light sits 167 feet above the water; the light characteristic is recorded as F W (a steady light), with a range of about 19.5 nautical miles; it was deactivated in 1933; the recorded designer or builder is George Meade.
Status check, 2026-11: Sources disagree on the build year: construction start is given as 1854, 1855 or 1856, and the light was first lit January 15, 1857. The record's 1856 can't be confirmed. It is NJ's tallest lighthouse, was decommissioned in 1933, and still has its original first-order Fresnel lens. Absecon Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It stands at 39.3661° N, 74.4142° W.
Key facts
| Tower height | 171 ft |
|---|---|
| Focal height | 167 ft |
| Light characteristic | F W |
| Range | 19.5 nautical miles |
| Deactivated | 1933 |
| Designer / builder | George Meade |
| Heritage designation | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| National Register | Listed |
| Coordinates | 39.36611, -74.41417 |
Nearby places
- Brigantine Lighthouselighthouse · Atlantic County · 2.4 mi
- Ludlam's Beach Lightlighthouse · Cape May County · 20.5 mi
- Harrisvilleghost town · Burlington County · 21.2 mi
- Batsto Villageghost town · Burlington County · 22.8 mi
- High Crossingghost town · Burlington County · 30.5 mi
- Barnegat Lighthouselighthouse · Ocean County · 32.1 mi
- Hereford Inlet Lighthouselighthouse · Cape May County · 32.1 mi
- Aserdatenghost town · Ocean County · 34.2 mi
- East Point Lightlighthouse · Cumberland County · 34.9 mi
- Island Beachghost town · Ocean County · 36.8 mi
- Davenportghost town · Ocean County · 39 mi
- Ong's Hatghost town · Burlington County · 39.3 mi
Questions
Where is Absecon Light?
Absecon Light is in Atlantic County, New Jersey, at 39.3661, -74.4142.
How many lighthouses are in Atlantic County?
Atlantic County, New Jersey has 2 lighthouses on record at Wayfarrow.
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wayfarrow status check (web sources) — Checked for current status (facts)
- Wikidata — Wikidata item (CC0)
- National Register of Historic Places — National Register of Historic Places record (public-domain)
- Wikidata — Wikipedia article (linked as a source; text not used) (CC0)
Facts marked "approximately" carry an uncertain date in the source. Text on this page is generated from the sources above; no encyclopedia prose is copied. Last updated 2026-11-05.