Ludlam's Beach Light

Ludlam's Beach Light is a maritime navigation lighthouse that once stood in Sea Isle City along the New Jersey coast. The two-story structure featured a square tower that produced flashing white signals every 15 seconds from a height of 36 feet (11 meters).

The lighthouse was built after Congress approved funding in 1884, with operations beginning on November 3, 1885 under keeper Joshua H. Reeves. Following a fire in 1923 and serious structural deterioration, it was decommissioned in 1924 and replaced by a steel skeletal tower.

The lighthouse served as a response to numerous shipwrecks near Townsend's Inlet, marking an unlit section of the New Jersey coastline for maritime safety.

The site is located in Sea Isle City and can be accessed from the beaches, particularly around 31st Street. Visitors should be prepared for changing coastal conditions since what remains of the structure may be visible or buried depending on weather and wave action.

The foundations of the original lighthouse periodically emerge from beneath the sand at 31st Street beach following major coastal storms. These temporarily exposed remains offer a tangible connection to the maritime history buried along this stretch of shore.

Location: Cape May County

Inception: 1885

GPS coordinates: 39.15980,-74.68810

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:08