Cape May Lighthouse, built in 1859 at Cape May Point under U.S. Army engineer William F. Raynolds, remains an active navigational beacon at New Jersey’s southern tip. It is the third fully documented lighthouse at the site after earlier towers from 1823 and 1847 were lost to erosion. Automated in 1946, the robust brick tower was designed to endure extreme winds and rises 157 feet 6 inches with 217 steps to the top. Its original first-order Fresnel lens was later moved to the Cape May County Courthouse. Since public climbs began in 1988, more than 2.1 million visitors have reached the top.