New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Ed Potosnk recently joined with state and local officials to celebrate a new agreement with Cumberland County to lease and operate the East Point Lighthouse, a historic icon of the Delaware Bay region.
“East Point is such an important part of our history and character in our community,” said Sen. Michael Testa of Vineland, who represents Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland counties in the state senate. “It’s been great to see the efforts come together through a strong partnership.”
Under the agreement, announced during a news conference at the lighthouse in Maurice River Township River, Cumberland County will assume responsibility for daily operations—including routine maintenance, visitor services, cultural and educational programming, and community engagement. The NJDEP will retain oversight of major preservation work and resource protection.
The lease will ensure the continued preservation and public enjoyment of one of New Jersey’s most recognizable maritime heritage landmarks.
The county is working on a plan to reopen the lighthouse to the public. The East Point Lighthouse has been closed to public access since September 2024.
Located at the mouth of the Maurice River, it is one of the state’s few surviving lighthouses from the 19th century. Built in 1849 and originally known as the Maurice River Lighthouse, the two-story brick structure sits on a 7,700-acre Heislerville Wildlife Management Area plot.
The East Point Lighthouse is surpassed in age only by the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which was built in 1764.
It still serves as a guide for maritime traffic in the area.
