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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Sandy Hook in Middletown Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Sandy Hook

Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook Unit

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

 
 
Sandy Hook Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
1. Sandy Hook Marker
Inscription.
Stretching off the northern tip of the New Jersey Shore, the 1,650 acre peninsula preserves six miles of ocean beaches enjoyed by more than two million visitors a year. But there’s much more.

Beyond its well-known beaches, sand dunes and salt marshes extend to Sandy Hook Bay. These coastal environments support and array of wildlife, including more than 300 species of migratory and native birds. Offshore, dozens of fish species and other aquatic life thrive in these waters.

Sandy Hook has history, too. Its lighthouse, the oldest in the nation, has guided shipping since 1764. Forts here protected New York Harbor for two centuries. Explore Fort Hancock and discover Sandy Hook’s role in navigation and the defense of our nation.

[Caption:]
Historic resources abound in and around Fort Hancock—from the 1764 Sandy Hook Lighthouse to 1890s Endicott fortification to the remains of the Sandy Hook Proving Ground.

 
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
 
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial EraCommunicationsForts and Castles
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Natural FeaturesWaterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lighthouses series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1764.
 
Location. 40° 25.615′ N, 73° 59.058′ W. Marker is in Middletown Township, New Jersey, in Monmouth County. It is in Sandy Hook. Marker can be reached from Hartshorne Drive, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located at the Sandy Hook Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Highlands NJ 07732, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Spermaceti Cove Station No. 2 (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Life-Saving Station / Spermaceti Cove - Holly Forest (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Sandy Hook (approx. 0.2 miles away); Discover Sandy Hook (approx. 0.2 miles away); Nike Missile Site (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Sandy Hook (approx. ¾ mile away); British Embarkation (approx. 1.4 miles away); a different marker also named Sandy Hook (approx. 1.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Middletown Township.
 
More about this marker. The right side of the marker features
Markers on Sandy Hook image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
2. Markers on Sandy Hook
There are several markers found near the Sandy Hook Visitor Center. This marker, the leftmost in the photo, is part of the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route.
a map of Sandy Hook, indicating the location of the marker at the Sandy Hook Visitor Center, and other sights such as Fort Hancock, the lighthouse, and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground. The left of the marker contains a series of photographs. The first depicts the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and has a caption of “Historic resources abound in and around Fort Hancock – from the 1764 Sandy Hook Lighthouse to 1890s Endicott fortification to the remains of the Sandy Hook Proving Ground.” Under this is a photo of “Officers’ Row at Fort Hancock.” A ranger-led group is seen in the next picture, which has a caption of “Birdwatching is best along the Old Dune Trail, Spermaceti Cove, Horseshoe Cove, and around Fort Hancock.” The last picture is of a fisherman at the water’s edge, with the caption “Bluefish, striped bass, fluke and flounder are abundant in Sandy Hook’s ocean and bay waters. Fishing is permitted at all beaches, except those reserved and guarded for swimming.”
 
Also see . . .
1. New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route. National Park Service website. (Submitted on September 26, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 

2. Fort Hancock. NY Harbor Parks website. (Submitted on September 26, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 

3. Sandy Hook Lighthouse, NJ. Lighthouse Friends website.
Sandy Hook Visitor Center image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
3. Sandy Hook Visitor Center
Spermaceti Cove Station No. 2, built in 1894 by the United States Life-Saving Service as a rescue station, today serves as the visitor center at Sandy Hook. The marker is located on the north side of this structure.
(Submitted on September 26, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.) 
 
Fort Hancock image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
4. Fort Hancock
For over a century, Fort Hancock protected the approach to New York Harbor. The first disappearing gun battery was installed here in 1893. During the Cold War, Fort Hancock was the home of Nike missiles, like those seen in the photo. Fort Hancock was decommissioned in 1972.
Sandy Hook Lighthouse image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
5. Sandy Hook Lighthouse
Built in 1764, the Sandy Hook lighthouse was the scene of an attack during the Revolutionary War when Colonial forces attempted to destroy it after it was seized by British troops. An hour of cannon assault failed and the lighthouse remained in British hands for the rest of the war.
Fortifications at Fort Hancock image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, September 20, 2009
6. Fortifications at Fort Hancock
These are the remains of concrete batteries built in Fort Hancock to defend against long range naval cannons. These are locate several miles north of the marker.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 1,229 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on September 26, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.

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Mar. 28, 2024