9 6 4 ▁when ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁constructed ▁an ▁autom ated ▁ske let al ▁light ▁tower . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁disput ed ▁as ▁to ▁when ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁and ▁ad jo ining ▁Life - S aving ▁Station ▁were ▁turned ▁over ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁State ▁Police ' s ▁Marine ▁Services ▁Unit . ▁It ▁is ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁transfer ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁tower ▁was ▁constructed , ▁other ▁say ▁that ▁it ▁occurred ▁when ▁the ▁buildings ▁were ▁no ▁longer ▁needed . ▁The ▁Life ▁S aving ▁Station ▁remains ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁State ▁Police ▁today , ▁however , ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁was ▁board ed ▁up ▁and ▁left ▁un used ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁when ▁loc als ▁pet ition ed ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁the ▁building . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁the ▁light ▁( DC B - 2 4 ) ▁was ▁transferred ▁from ▁the ▁ske let al ▁tower ▁into ▁the ▁l ighth ouse . ▁The ▁grounds ▁were ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁North ▁Wild wood ' s ▁super int endent ▁of ▁par ks , ▁Steve ▁Murray . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ' s ▁closure , ▁it ▁had ▁been ▁painted ▁white ▁with ▁red ▁trim ▁and ▁blue ▁shut ters ; ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁it ▁was ▁restored ▁to ▁its ▁histor ically ▁accurate ▁buff ▁color . ▁The ▁current ▁V R B - 2 5 ▁be acon ▁was ▁installed ▁on ▁July ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 8