Michael McEachin
Michael’s Lighthouse Gifts & Collectibles
Michael’s Lighthouse Gifts & CollectiblesI’ve been an avid collector of Lighthouses since 2000. I’ve researched all and have visited many. I lecture on their history and volunteer as Lightkeeper at the Absecon Lighthouse. I strongly advocate Lighthouse preservation and enjoy sharing my knowledge and appreciation for their beauty and history.
My website lighthouse4gifts.com has been up and running since March of this year. I’m working hard to make the site #1 with new products and education for all collectors.
I would like to expand my merchandise to include unique and once in a lifetime buys.
I’m presently researching new and unusual products for my customers. I’m working with artists to make those perfect finds for those who visit my site.
One of my newest additions coming soon will be short stories regarding a different lighthouse every month.
Enjoy the stories and fell free to look around the site.
Absecon Lighthouse Ever Wonder How Life Was On This Lightstation
Category: Blogging
Absecon lighthouse was built in the year of 1854 through 1857. The first keeper here at this lightstation was killed 2 miles of shore just across from Brigantine Island. The reason for Absecon being built was there was a dark area between Barnegat Lighthouse Located on Long Beach Island and the Cape May Lighthouse on the point of Cape May. Lt. George Gordon Meade was the builder of all 3 light stations in this district. The Absecon lighthouse stands 171 feet high and has 228 steps to the top. The lighthouse also still houses a first order Fresnel Lens. The information about the lens will be in the next blog entitled Fresnel Lenses and Lighthouses. A few keepers on this lighthouse were
Daniel Scull (November 25, 1856)
William Bartlett (1861)
John S. Nixon (1865)
Abraham G. Wolf (1873)
Thomas Bills (1896 - October 22, 1914)
Knud Hansen (???? - May 16, 1930
Knud Hansen being the last and final keeper of Absecon Lighthouse was also the last one to experience electric. The Light Station was decommissioned in 1933 and electrified in 1925. This is do to the Atlantic City Area was being built and the casino lights were not a help at all. This made the Lighthouse stop serving as a navigational aid. The Absecon lighthouse use to be beach front property as this can be told by the two anchors on the front of the property. The area where the Absecon Lighthouse sits is known as grave yard inlet where over a 1,000 shipwrecks took place before Absecon lighthouse was built. Image if you were on one of these ships and crashed into shore and there was no lighthouse to go for help. One of the reasons Absecon was built was do to this part of to many ships being wrecked. The father of Atlantic City was a fellow named Dr. Jonathan Pitney also the grandfather of Atlantic city back in the days. Dr. Jonathan Pitney came from Staten Island as a doctor and use to vacation in Atlantic City. His practice in medicine was done on Staten Island. Mr. Pitney also had a say in the building of the Absecon lighthouse. In 1854 after a decade of prompting from Dr. Pitney, considered him to be the father. The U.S. lighthouse service requested a and finally received $35,000 approbation from congress to build a lighthouse on Absecon Island.
1854-December 5th, the Camden and Atlantic Land Co. transferred the land for a lighthouse to the U.S. government in the amount of $520.
1855-Construction began under the direction of Major Hartman bache. Bache was replaced by Lt. George Meade, who would later command the famous battle of Gettysburg.
1856An additional $17,436 was appropriated to finish the project by the Army Corps of Engineers under the direction of Lt. Col. William Raynolds. The cost was in the amount of $52,436.62
More of this story can be read on my next installment in 2 weeks
Hope you enjoyed this story as I enjoyed writing it.
Check back for the next installment soon.
