East Point Lighthouse Rehabilitation Project Receives Historic Preservation Award
Millville, New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) was recently awarded a 2018 New Jersey Historic Preservation Award from the State Department of Environmental Protection, Historic Preservation Office, for the completion of the East Point Lighthouse historic renovation project.
In 2016, the Cumberland County Improvement Authority, the Cumberland County Freeholder Board, and the Maurice River Historical Society, formed a partnership to advance this renovation project. The partnership requested grants from the Federal Highway Administration as well as the New Jersey Historic Trust, which contributed to the entire exterior and interior being restored. Work completed included exterior repointed and whitewashed, interior plaster and repair, plus structural repair, new roof, new HVAC and lantern room repairs.
The fully restored East Point Lighthouse now allows visitors to climb the four stories to view the panoramic scene, and experience period piece antique furnishings depicting the time when the lighthouse keeper and his family would have lived on the property.
Before the improvements at the East Point Lighthouse, capacity for tours was quite limited. In fact, prior to these renovations the lighthouse was only open approximately eight days per year, with limited hours. However, since these significant investments were made, the lighthouse is now open year round.
About the East Point Lighthouse
The East Point Lighthouse, originally constructed in 1849, is the second oldest in New Jersey. It was built on a point of land in Heislerville, Cumberland County guiding commercial fishermen and recreational boaters in from the Delaware Bay. It went dark at the beginning of World War II and suffered decay from years of neglect.
About the Cumberland County Improvement Authority:
The Cumberland County Improvement Authority is responsible for the development, financing and management of projects and programs most vital to sustaining the economic and environmental future of Cumberland County. Impact studies show that investments made by the CCIA provide a return of four dollars to the county’s economy for each dollar spent on facility construction and improvements. The Authority works in tandem with the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders to foster increased economic growth to benefit all Cumberland County residents.
