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“Basically, the lighthouse is one good storm away from a major disaster,” said Nancy Patterson, president of the Maurice River Historical Society.
Patterson and her husband, Carl Tidy, spent time painting the 171-year-old lighthouse staircase this morning. But that was the least of his problems.
On a beautiful day at low tide, the Cape Cod-style home sits comfortably at the mouth of the Maurice River. However, as the tide rises, the river eats him alive.
“The water comes in every day and it only takes part of the point with it each time,” Patterson said. “And then it ends up in the basement of the building.”
Patterson, a lifelong fan of all things nautical, has spent six years reaching out to local politicians and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for help.
Last year, NJDEP installed a geotube, or group of large sandbags, to mitigate the flooding. While it prevents wave damage at the lighthouse, it does not prevent water from reaching its base.
“The sandbag geotube system that was installed was intended to be a BAND-AID. There was not enough money to complete it,” Patterson said.
But the fight does not stop there.
In a rare bipartisan effort, State Senator Michael Testa joined forces with New Jersey State Senate Speaker Stephen Sweeney to take steps forward.
“The historic East Point Lighthouse is a gem that our community cannot afford to lose,” Senator Testa said in a statement sent to 6abc. “It is a priority for me to ensure that it can be visited by generations to come.”
Senators are having talks with the NJDEP commissioner to secure more help for the community’s beloved lighthouse.
“The Cumberland County community is fortunate to have a passionate and tireless advocate like Nancy,” said Senator Testa.
Patterson is also seeking the help of Congressman Jeff VanDrew in applying for federal aid for the lighthouse.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Patterson says tourism has been safe and strong this year. The museum inside the lighthouse is open every first and third weekend of the month. Santa Claus is expected to visit next weekend.
“Even if our efforts don’t end the way we hope, we know we were part of trying to do something that was extremely important,” Patterson said. “We won’t give up. I’ll be hanging over the place if it falls into the bay!”
For more information on East Point Lighthouse, visit their Facebook page.
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