Barnegat Light is located at the northern end of Long Beach Island. This
quaint little borough of less than one square mile has a winter population
of a little over 700 and hasn't changed much over the last century. Fishing
is still "big business", just as it was when the English Crown first deeded
the area in 1692. Barnegat Light is the homeport to many members of the
East Coast's Longline Fleet. These fishermen set their sights on larger
fish such as tuna and swordfish and regularly fish in high seas several
hundred miles offshore.
Barnegat Light's most famous inhabitant is "Old Barney", the red and white-banded Barnegat Lighthouse situated at the northern tip of Long Beach Island. This 172 foot tall structure, designed by General George Meade and commissioned January 1, 1859, is the second tallest lighthouse in the United States. Although the tower's light was "snuffed out" in 1944, "Old Barney" still attracts thousands of visitors every summer to Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.
Besides being home to Barnegat Lighthouse, one of the last remaining tracts of maritime forest on Long Beach Island is also located in the park. Birdwatchers can view some diverse species of our "feathered friends", as the park is a key resting and feeding ground for birds migrating to and from their breeding areas.
Barnegat Light is a small, quiet borough of about 1100 residences, inhabited by retirees and former "Long Beach Islanders", who now maintain summer homes there.
