The Interpretive Center

I've gotten back on the roster, and completed my first shift, as a volunteer at the Interpretive Center in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park. Volunteers keep track of attendance in the Center, answer questions, keep the background music playing, etc. It's a cool place to spend a hot afternoon, and well stocked with books on lighthouses and local history. I enjoy my 3 hour shifts, greeting visitors and learning more each day about the island and lighthouses in NJ, and around the country.

We have a monitor with live feeds from the top of the lighthouse. Those who can not - or choose not to - climb the 217 steps to the top can enjoy the views, north, south, east and west, from the air conditioned comfort of the Interpretive Center.

Other panels provide details on the history of Barnegat Lighthouse, the ecology of barrior islands and a typical day in the life of a lighthouse keeper.

We have a model of the keepers' house which once stood at the base of Old Barney, but was lost to erosion by the waves. There were three separate quarters in the house for the 3 keepers and their families. It required 3 eight-hour shifts to keep the light burning 24 hours a day.

And there is our "beach buggy" free for use by those who cannot walk through the sand on their own. Any visit to the State Park is sure to be a bit more enjoyable - and educational - due to the efforts of the volunteer staff and the Interpretive Center.