New Jersey is home to over a dozen delightful lighthouses, all worth a visit. (I highly recommend New Jersey’s Lighthouse Challenge.) Some have gorgeous gardens, others have centuries of history, this particular lighthouse has…ghosts! (Maybe.) Though I can’t confirm their existence, I can share some spooky stories with you.
The Absecon Lighthouse is a coastal lighthouse located in the north end of Atlantic City, overlooking Absecon Inlet.
Andreas Nitsche/Google
At 171 feet, it is the tallest lighthouse in the state of New Jersey and the third-tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States.
Mark Farparan/Google
Construction began in 1854, with the light first lit on January 15, 1857. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1933 and, although the light still shines every night, it is no longer an active navigational aid.
Sam Guirguis/Flickr
Visitors will enjoy free parking and admission to the Keeper’s House Museum, exhibits, gift shop, and grounds. You can climb to the top for a small fee.
JustGrimes/Flickr
Haunted tours are occasionally available in October (they will be held on the 26th this year). So, is the lighthouse really haunted?
Jack Boucher/Wikipedia That’s up to you to decide, but here are some of the stories… To start, it overlooks the Absecon Inlet, and was built to prevent future disasters following the horrific wreck of the Powhatan in 1854. Over 300 passengers and crew members died, causing the Absecon Inlet to be nicknamed Graveyard Inlet.Ghosts stories in the lighthouse itself date back to 1905. At that time, a keeper claimed to have seen the Jersey Devil at the top of the tower. Since then, others have reported seeing spirits, the smell of pipe and cigar smoke, and the sounds of spooky laughter, footsteps in the tower and the tower door opening and closing. Dimes are also said to appear in odd places.Visitors have also claimed to see apparitions of people dressed in Civil War-era uniforms and civilian attire at the bottom of the lighthouse looking confused and lost at night. While this may sound like malarkey to some, the lighthouse has drawn in numerous paranormal organizations and even the Sy-Fy channel’s ghost hunters have visited.
Do you have any spooky lighthouse stories? Ghosts or not, it’s worth a visit. Find the Absecon Lighthouse at 31 S. Rhode Island Avenue, Atlantic City. It is open all year, though hours vary by season. To discover more of New Jersey’s amazing lighthouses, click here.
Andreas Nitsche/Google
Mark Farparan/Google
Sam Guirguis/Flickr
JustGrimes/Flickr
Jack Boucher/Wikipedia
That’s up to you to decide, but here are some of the stories… To start, it overlooks the Absecon Inlet, and was built to prevent future disasters following the horrific wreck of the Powhatan in 1854. Over 300 passengers and crew members died, causing the Absecon Inlet to be nicknamed Graveyard Inlet.Ghosts stories in the lighthouse itself date back to 1905. At that time, a keeper claimed to have seen the Jersey Devil at the top of the tower. Since then, others have reported seeing spirits, the smell of pipe and cigar smoke, and the sounds of spooky laughter, footsteps in the tower and the tower door opening and closing. Dimes are also said to appear in odd places.Visitors have also claimed to see apparitions of people dressed in Civil War-era uniforms and civilian attire at the bottom of the lighthouse looking confused and lost at night. While this may sound like malarkey to some, the lighthouse has drawn in numerous paranormal organizations and even the Sy-Fy channel’s ghost hunters have visited.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
