Historic Lighthouse In Middletown Will Be Relit Tuesday

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A small, historic lighthouse in Middletown will be reopened and relit this Tuesday, after decades of sitting dormant.

The lighthouse is the Conover Beacon, a small lighthouse located on Leonard Avenue in the Leonardo section.

The lighthouse was built in 1856 and it was meant to guide ships through Raritan Bay. The original lighthouse was 55 feet tall, but it was made of all wood and had to be replaced in 1941. The current structure is all metal and is 45 feet tall.

However, the Conover Beacon was deactivated in 1988, with the advent of ships using GPS.

However, Middletown Township always wanted to restore the lighthouse back to its former glory. After years of searching for a contractor, Middletown DPW decided to do the job themselves.

Fleet Maintenance Division Head John Malizia and master welder Justin VanArsdale developed a plan to replace rusted-out sections of the small lighthouse with new steel plates and bolts. New Jersey based company GPC, Inc. painted the tower to match its original colors with a high-grade, weatherproof marine epoxy that should protect the beacon for many years.

Malizia contacted Pharos Marine Automatic Power, Inc. in Louisiana to find a new decorative light to symbolically illuminate the local landmark. Middletown DPW also worked all winter to clean the surrounding area so beachgoers can observe the lighthouse up close.

The Twp. will turn on the Conover Beacon at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and have a small ceremony to re-dedicate the lighthouse.

"We cannot wait to see it once again shine on our shores," previously said Mayor Tony Perry.