Photo from Coast Guard Historians Office

History | Characteristics | Keepers
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History

This light was also known as the Fort Mifflin Bar Cut Range, and Mifflin Bar Range. The front range light was also known as the Billingsport Light.

The front range light was located south of Billingsport, New Jersey, just below Lincoln Park. Its position was 39° 50' 51" latitude by 75° 15' 11" longitude. The lighthouse was first lighted December 31, 1880. It was equipped with a fifth order lens. The keepers house sat at the edge of a sloping bank. The original light was in the keeper's dwelling, but by 1887 the shipping channel had changed and the light was moved to a detached square frame tower on concrete base just slightly off the shoreline. The keeper's house and the new tower were connected by a wooden walkway. The front range light had the unusual distinction of serving as the front range for two ranges - The Mifflin Range pointing upriver (towards Trenton) and the Tinicum Range pointing down river. It was automated in 1938. Eventually the site became the property of the DuPont Company. The keeper's house was eventually torn down. The wooden tower was replaced by a steel skeleton tower, possibly in the late 1970's or early 1980's. Like the old tower it replaced, it has two lights, one facing upriver and one facing down river. It is built on the foundation of of its earlier predecessor.

The Fort Mifflin Rear Range Lighthouse was located at 39° 50' 35" latitude by 75° 15' 40" longitude which is about 1/2 mile behind the front range light. The rear range light as a white pyramidal wooden tower with a black watchroom and lantern with a black slatted daymark above the roof of the lantern. The tower was not attached to the keepers house. the keeper lived in a two-story, square white dwelling with lead colored trim and green shutters.

The rear range light was originally equipped with a fifth order lens. It was automated in 1938. Eventually the site became part of the Mobil Oil Refinery complex and the lighthouse was torn down. The site is restricted.