Great Beds Light is a sparkplug lighthouse in Raritan Bay, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from South Amboy of Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Over the years the lighthouse has become the symbol for the city of South Amboy. Named as Great Beds Light Station, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2008, for its significance in architecture, engineering, transportation, and maritime history.[3]

Great Beds Light
Great Beds Light
Map
LocationRaritan Bay, South Amboy, New Jersey
Coordinates40°29′12″N 74°15′12″W / 40.48667°N 74.25333°W / 40.48667; -74.25333
Tower
Constructed1880
FoundationCaisson
ConstructionCast iron
Automated1945
Height61 feet (19 m)
ShapeWhite conical tower on black conical pier with black lantern
HeritageNational Register of Historic Places listed place Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1880
Focal height19 m (62 ft) Edit this on Wikidata
LensFourth order Fresnel 1880
Range6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi)
CharacteristicFlashing red, 6 s
Great Beds Light Station
Architectural styleUS Lighthouse Board
MPSLight Stations of the United States
NRHP reference No.08000467[1]
NJRHP No.4106[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 29, 2008
Designated NJRHPMarch 6, 2008

History and description

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Perth Amboy waterfront with view to lighthouse

The light was built in 1880 with a fourth order Fresnel lens to mark the Great Beds Shoal, hazardous shallow water in the Raritan Bay. The 30-foot (9.1 m) foundation, a conical caisson, sits in about 11 feet (3.4 m) of water. The five-story tower and lantern are 47 feet (14 m) high.[3]

Lighthouses of Raritan Bay

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System – (#08000467)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Middlesex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office. July 15, 2022. p. 15.
  3. ^ a b Koski-Karell, Daniel; Perunko, Jennifer (December 2007). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Great Beds Light Station". National Park Service. With accompanying 6 photos