Sandy Hook Foundation
Official Nonprofit Partner of the National Park Service at Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is much more than a favorite destination for many — it is a multifaceted jewel to treasure and protect.
The Sandy Hook Foundation is the official nonprofit friends group for the National Park Service at Sandy Hook, NJ, a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. Established in 1989, the Foundation has funded cultural, educational, environmental, and conservation programs and has helped restore and preserve historic structures like the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and Fort Hancock — both recognized as National Historic Landmarks. Please join us in supporting our beautiful national park, Sandy Hook.
This project is made possible by generous funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission, the New Jersey Historic Trust, the National Park Foundation, and the Sandy Hook Foundation.
The Colonel Tye: Fighting for Freedom experience is a cutting edge, immersive experience using Apple Vision Pro headsets to tell the tale of Colonel Tye. Tye was a enslaved man who escaped and fought for the British at Sandy Hook during the Revolutionary War. He has been called a renegade, a traitor, a guerilla leader, a Black loyalist, and a freedom fighter.
Explore primary source historical documents as you experience the difficult choices Tye, and others like him, had to make in their quest for freedom.
The experience takes approximately 25 minutes for two users at at time on a first-come, first served basis. The experience is at the Taylor-Butler House, 127 Kings Highway, Middletown, is free and may also be viewed on a screen. Goggle users must be a minimum of 13 years old. Corrective glasses may not be worn with the goggles, contact lenses are preferable.
The experience will be accessible to the public every Saturday and Sunday (except July 4 - 5) between May 2, 2026 and July 25, 2026 at the historic Taylor-Butler House in Middletown between 1pm - 4pm, with extended hours on opening weekend, Weekend in Old Monmouth, from 10am - 5pm on Saturday, 5/2,and 12noon - 5pm on Sunday, 5/3.
Join Us on May 8th
Sandy Hook Foundation’s
Sunset Soirée
Join the Sandy Hook Foundation for our Sunset Soirée, a festive evening in support of Sandy Hook, the national park in your backyard, on Friday, May 8, at the Mule Barn Tavern in historic Fort Hancock. This annual fundraiser brings together friends and neighbors for a night of great food, music, and the best sunset views in NJ!
Tickets and Sponsorships available now!
Our Work
Learn about past and ongoing projects, and see the results of the Foundation’s more than three decades of work at Sandy Hook.
Sandy Hook Foundation is a proud partner of the National Park Service
