Sandy Hook, New Jersey

Front:
25 SHINGTON APR 26 1990 20066 SANDY HOOK, NEW JERSEY DC SYM

Back:
SANDY HOOK, NEW JERSEY First Day of Issue: April 26, 1990 First Issue Location: Washington, D.C. The Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest maritime light tower still standing and in use in the United States. Built by the British, the octagonal beacon was lighted for the first time on June 11, 1764. Though it was originally called the “New York Lighthouse," the tower stands on the New Jersey side of Lower New York Bay. After the revolutionary war, Sandy Hook Lighthouse was ceded to the infant United States by the state of New Jersey, and the new government agreed to maintain the beacon thereaf- ter. One of George Washington's first acts as President was to direct that a light be kept burning permanently at Sandy Hook. Over ten thousand dollars was raised for its maintenance between 1804 and 1817, and by 1832 there were two lighthouses lighting Sandy Hook, one to the north and one to the west. Today, one beacon remains, and will hopefully survive for many years through the efforts of the federal government and the lighthouse preservation movement. CHTHOUSE No. 90-19 VPRESSION SOCIET OFFICIAL MAXIMUM CARD ©1990 The Maximum Card Collection A Division of Unicover Corporation . Cheyenne, WY 82008-0007 Original painting by Dennis Lyall