Fortress on the Bluff: The Ingenuity of the Navesink Twin Lights
Perched 200 feet above sea level on the highest point along the Atlantic coast, a peculiar brownstone “fortress” overlooks the entrance to New York Harbor. This is the Navesink Twin Lights, a site that has served as a laboratory for American innovation for over 150 years. From the first Fresnel lenses in America to the birth of wireless communication, these towers have guided the nation into the modern age.
The Philosophy of Two Towers
A lighthouse has stood on this bluff since 1828. Originally, the U.S. Lighthouse Board believed that lighthouses should use “fixed” (non-rotating) beams. To prevent mariners from confusing the Navesink highlands with the nearby Sandy Hook Light (which also had a fixed beam), the government built two towers.
By having two lights, sailors knew exactly where they were. However, maintaining two separate towers, two sets of oil lamps, and multiple keepers was expensive. Eventually, the Lighthouse Board transitioned to unique “flash patterns” for individual lighthouses, making twin towers obsolete—yet the Navesink station remains one of the few places where this dual-tower philosophy is still visible in stone.
A Series of American “Firsts”
The Twin Lights is often referred to as the most technologically advanced lighthouse site in the Western Hemisphere during the 19th century.
- The First Fresnel Lens (1841): Before 1841, American lighthouses used primitive oil lamps with smoky reflectors. Following a European study by Commodore Matthew Perry, the first Fresnel lenses were brought to the U.S. and installed here. These “beehives of glass” were a marvel of physics. While a standard flame loses 97% of its light to the atmosphere, a Fresnel lens captures all but 17%, throwing a beam 20 miles out to the horizon.
- The First Electric Lighthouse (1898): The South Tower was the first in the nation to be electrified. It housed its own massive steam-powered generator plant. Its electric arc lamp produced a staggering 25 million candlepower. At the time, it was the most powerful lighthouse in the world; while its official range was 22 miles, its reflection was occasionally spotted by sailors 70 miles away.
Architecture: The Brownstone Fortress
The current structure, completed in 1862, cost $74,000—a massive sum at the time. Architect Joseph Lederle designed it in a “fortress” style using local brownstone. To make the station even more distinguishable to sailors during the day, he made the towers different shapes: the North Tower is octagonal, while the South Tower is square.
A Stage for National History
Beyond navigation, the Navesink highlands served as the backdrop for three pivotal moments in American culture and defense:
1. The Pledge of Allegiance (1893) The Twin Lights was the site of the first official national reading of the Pledge of Allegiance. Under a 135-foot “Liberty Pole,” the pledge was used as a patriotic centerpiece for a grand naval flotilla celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage.
2. The Birth of Wireless (1899) In September 1899, Guglielmo Marconi chose the Twin Lights for the first practical demonstration of wireless telegraphy in America. He set up an antenna on the grounds to report on the America’s Cup yacht races, transmitting scores to a waiting press in New York City. This experiment proved that wireless communication was commercially viable, laying the groundwork for the radio and cell technology we use today.
3. The “Mystery Ray” (1935) In the years leading up to World War II, the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth used the high elevation of the Twin Lights to test a secret new technology. Newspapers at the time called it the “Mystery Ray.” Today, we know it as Radar. These early experiments were essential in helping the Allies detect enemy aircraft and ships during the war.
If You Visit
Today, the Twin Lights is a State Historic Site managed by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry and the Twin Lights Historical Society.
- Location: 2 Light Road, Highlands, NJ 07732.
- The Climb: Visitors can climb the North Tower (which still serves as an active private aid to navigation) for a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and the New York City skyline.
- The Museum: The former keepers’ quarters and power plant house a museum featuring a rare, second-order Fresnel lens and exhibits on Marconi and the Life-Saving Service.
For More Information
- Twin Lights Historical Society (www.twinlightslighthouse.org)
The History Girl’s Recommended Reading: Love Lighthouse History?
Check out “Guarding New Jersey’s Shore: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations” on Amazon—the perfect companion guide to the historic sites of the Jersey Coast.
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