The Brigantine Lighthouse was built in 1926 by the Island Development Real Estate Company to attract people to Brigantine Beach Island, the newly popular beach town nicknamed “the Twin Resort of Atlantic City”. Their slogan was “come to the lighthouse”.
It was never an operating lighthouse but it did serve other purposes for the resort. In the 1930’s the Brigantine Lighthouse became the town’s police station. The tiny building could accommodate the city’s few officers. If they had a call, they’d turn the light on which would alert officers to return to the station. The steel door of the holding cell is on display at the Historical Museum located just 100 yards away. The lighthouse also served as a gift shop and in the 70’s was the original location of the Historical Museum.
The lighthouse fell into disrepair in the early 1990s. A group of volunteers and construction companies answered the call, refurbishing the building in 1995 and again in 2013. The lighthouse has survived numerous storms including the Great Storm of 62 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
