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Henry Hudson Visits
The first explorer to keep a written account of his visit to Sandy Hook was Henry Hudson. He anchored his ship, the Half Moon, in the Lower Bay. Although he does not venture out from the ship, one of his officers, Robert Juet, wrote about Sandy Hook in his journal. -
Sandy Hook's Light
On June 11, 1764, Sandy Hook's Lighthouse is lit for the first time. The date of completed construction remains unknown. After Richard Hartsborne purchased land from the Indians, his sons sold four acres of the land to merchants from New York. These merchants came up with the idea to build the lighthouse. It remains the oldest lighthouse in the state. -
Henry Clinton Passes Through
After the Battle of Monmouth ended in a draw, General Henry Clinton and his army fled to Sandy Hook. From there, they would be transported to New York. He arrived June 30th, 1778. Clinton headed for New York on July 5, 1778. -
Lifesaving Station
After several shipwrecks, a congressman, William Newell, appeals to Congress for permission to build lifesaving stations. Eight of them are constructed in 1849, starting from Sandy Hook's Spermaceti Cove to Long Beach Island. The stations were remodeled in 1871. In addition, there were two new stations built: one near the northern tip of Sandy Hook in 1891 and another near Spermaceti Cove in 1894, respectively. -
Telegraph Station
Coastal defense was not the only concern. From 1850 onward, permission to build was emiment in Sandy Hook. Out of this came the first telegraph station on Sandy Hook, called the New York & Sandy Hook Telegraph Company. Permission was granted July 1852 but the company was not fully operational until March 31, 1854. After the station was turned over to the Western Union, another station was erected on Sandy Hook in November 1874. -
Weapons' Proving Ground
The U.S. Army developed the first weapons' proving ground in Sandy Hook in 1874. Called "The Proof Battery," many new weapons were tested there. With the establishment of Fort Hancock, it was diffcult to test weapons as the fort was in the way. A new Proof Battery was constructed 300 yards south, away from the original in 1900. The Proof Battery closed with the conclusion of World War I. -
Fort Hancock
Two concrete guns are constructed at Sandy Hook, one of the earliest's weapons. However, there is no residence for the soldiers who operate the guns. Thus, General Order #57 is passed, establishing the fortifications as Fort Hancock on October 30th, 1895. The area is named after Major General Winfield Scott Hancock. From then on, construction of the Fort begins, not ending until the early 20th century. In 1896, there was a total of 32 buildings. -
Lift-Gun Battery
Perhaps the most important piece of Sandy Hook's artillery history was the introduction of the lift-gun battery in 1895, the first of its kind in United States' history. Henceforth, the weapon was named "the disappearing gun" due to the weapon being situated on elevator platforms that moved up and down. This prevented the enemy was getting a clear shot at the soldiers. The entrances to the lift-gun battery was named Battery Potter on May 25, 1903 after General Joseph Potter. -
Sandy Hook Becomes a State Park
New Jersey obtains formal control of 460 acres of the southernmost portion of the Sandy Hook peninsula, turning it into a state park. Sandy Hook officially opens to the public as a state park on July 14th, 1962.
