United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79)

The United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79/WAL-506), is located in Camden, Camden County, New Jersey, United States. The lightship was built in 1904 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on 29 November 1979.

For other ships named "Barnegat", see USS Barnegat.

The lightship Barnegat in Philadelphia
History
United StatesUnited States
NameBarnegat
OperatorU.S. Coast Guard
BuilderNew York Shipbuilding Company
Cost$89,030
Launched1904
In service1904
Out of service1967
StatusMoored at Pyne Poynt Marina in Camden, New Jersey
General characteristics
Displacement668 tons
Length129 ft (39 m)
Beam28.6 ft (8.7 m)
Draft12.6 ft (3.8 m)
PropulsionSteam-one compound surface condensing engine, 16" and 31" bores x 24" stroke, 325 IEP; 2 boilers 9'3" dia x 164" long, 100 psi; propeller 79" dia; also rigged for sail initially
Speed10 knots (19 km/h)
Barnegat
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79) is located in Camden County, New Jersey
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79)
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79) is located in New Jersey
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79)
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79) is located in the United States
United States lightship Barnegat (LV-79)
LocationNorth 7th Street, Camden, New Jersey
Coordinates39°57′21″N 75°6′46″W
Area0.3 acres (0.12 ha)
Built1904
ArchitectNew York Ship Building and Dry Dock Company
NRHP reference No.79002317[1]
NJRHP No.[2]
Added to NRHP29 November 1979

History

Barnegat was built in 1904 by the New York Shipbuilding Company in Camden. The vessel served from 1904 to 1924 as the lightship for Five Fathom Bank, which is located 15 miles (24 km) from the Cape May Lighthouse.[3] The vessel was then used as a relief for the next two years. In 1927 the vessel was assigned to the Barnegat Lighthouse station.[4] In 1942 the vessel was withdrawn from the Barnegat station to serve as an examination vessel at Edgemoor, Delaware. Barnegat would inspect all vessels entering the Delaware River until 1945.[3] The vessel returned to the Barnegat station, where it served until it was decommissioned on 3 March 1967. Barnegat was then donated to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in Saint Michaels, Maryland. The museum was unable to keep up with the maintenance of the vessel and sold the vessel to the Heritage Ship Guild in 1970 to be displayed at Penn's Landing.[3]

Status

Barnegat is now docked at Pyne Poynt Marina in Camden. Attempts at maintenance and repair work were unsuccessful and the ship is considered to be in threat of loss due to deterioration. In early 2020, the Barnegat Light Historical Society purchased and removed the ship's bell from the deck with hopes of restoring and eventually displaying the bell somewhere in the vicinity of Barnegat Light. In June 2020, the restored bell was unveiled and put on permanent display at the Seventh Street bay side pavilion park in Barnegat Light.[5][3][6]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 13 March 2009.
  2. "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Camden County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. 1 April 2010. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  3. "Lighthouse Friends Home Page Lightship LV 79/WAL 506, NJ". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  4. "Lightship Barnegat LV 79/WAL 506, NJ". lighthousefriends.com. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  5. "Light Ship Barnegat". preservationnj.org. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  6. King, Kate (17 May 2018). "SOS Goes Up to Rescue Ship From Scrap Heap of History". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 June 2019.


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