. ▁As ▁an ▁active ▁aid ▁to ▁navigation , ▁the ▁be acon ▁in ▁the ▁l ighth ouse ▁tower ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁maintained ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Coast ▁Guard . ▁ ▁Today , ▁Here ford ▁In let ▁L ighth ouse ▁oper ates ▁as ▁a ▁fully ▁operating ▁l ighth ouse ▁and ▁museum . ▁It ▁oper ates ▁under ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁North ▁Wild wood ▁and ▁the ▁City ' s ▁North ▁Wild wood ▁Historical ▁Commission . ▁The ▁l ighth ouse ▁is ▁listed ▁on ▁both ▁the ▁National ▁and ▁State ▁Register s ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁as ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Jersey ▁Coast al ▁Heritage ▁Tra il . ▁It ▁is ▁operated ▁and ▁maintained ▁with ▁money ▁generated ▁through ▁don ations ▁and ▁L ighth ouse ▁fund ra ising ▁projects . ▁ ▁Keep ers ▁ ▁John ▁Mar che ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁l ighth ouse ▁ke eper ▁for ▁less ▁than ▁three ▁months ▁before ▁d row ning ▁when ▁his ▁row bo at ▁over turn ed ▁on ▁returning ▁from ▁the ▁main land . ▁The ▁next ▁ke eper , ▁Fre eling ▁" Capt ain " ▁H ew itt , ▁an ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁veter an , ▁served ▁that ▁position ▁for ▁the ▁longest ▁time , ▁ 4 5 ▁years . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁museum s ▁in ▁New ▁Jersey ▁ ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁list ings ▁in ▁Cape ▁May ▁County , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁C rom pton , ▁Samuel ▁Will ard . ▁The ▁L ighth ouse ▁Book . ▁ ▁Bar nes ▁and