Oil first burned in the Sandy Hook Light tower in the summer of 1764. More than 230 years later, the original tower is still an active lighthouse, making it the oldest original light in America. The original "48 blazes" were replaced in 1856 with a third-order fresnel lens.
Sandy Hook is in New Jersy, but it was paid for by New Yorkers needing a guiding light into the city. In fact, it was known commonly as New York Lighthouse. Today the light stands amid the deserted Fort Hancock, within the Gateway National Recreation Area.