Absecon Lighthouse

Situated on Atlantic City's eastern coastline, the Absecon Lighthouse has been assisting wandering vessels since its establishment in 1856. Standing at a spectacular height of 171 feet (52 meters), it is quite easily the tallest structure of its kind in New Jersey. This splendid piece of 19th-century architecture is made up of a mesh of granite slabs that lend its walls an eye-catching sheen that still exists today. First lit in 1857, the lighthouse retains its original George Meade-designed Fresnel lens that at the peak of its powers propagated signals up to 36.1 kilometers (22.4 miles). Decommissioned in 1933, its lens shines brightly to this day.