Montauk Point Light facts for kids
| Location | Montauk Point, Suffolk County, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°04′16″N 71°51′26″W / 41.07099°N 71.85709°W |
| Year first lit | 1797 |
| Automated | 1987 |
| Foundation | 13 ft (4 m) deep and 9 ft (3 m) thick, Natural, Emplaced, built in 1796 |
| Construction | Sandstone |
| Tower shape | Octagonal pyramidal |
| Markings / pattern | Tower painted white with a broad red band midway, lantern black |
| Height | 110.5 ft (33.7 m) structure |
| Focal height | 168 ft (51 m) |
| Original lens | 8 whale oil lamps (1797), Fresnel lens (later) 1903-1987, VRB-25 1987-2023, as of 11/06/2023 the same (reconditioned) 3 1/2 order bivalve Fresnel lens that was removed in 1987. (current) |
| Range | 18 nm |
| Characteristic | Flashing White 5 seconds. |
| Fog signal | Horn: 1 2s in every 15s |
The Montauk Point Light, also known as the Montauk Point Lighthouse, stands at the very eastern tip of Long Island in New York. It is next to Montauk Point State Park in the small town of Montauk. This lighthouse was the first one ever built in New York State. It was also the very first big public building project for the new country, the United States.
The Montauk Point Lighthouse is the fourth oldest lighthouse that is still working in the United States. It is a very important historical site. Because of its importance to shipping in New York and around the world in the early days of the country, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 2012. This means it's one of the most important historical places in the whole country.
The lighthouse is located on Turtle Hill at 2000 Montauk Highway. It is run by a private group as a museum. It is not part of the state park. You can visit the lighthouse museum. The cost is $15.00 for adults, $8.00 for seniors, and $5.00 for children.
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History of the Montauk Point Lighthouse
The Montauk Light was the first lighthouse built in New York State. It is also the fourth oldest lighthouse still in use in the United States. The tower stands 110 feet 6 inches tall. The light it uses today is a special type called a 3 1/2 order bivalve Fresnel lens. This kind of lens helps make the light very bright and focused.
Building the Lighthouse: A New Nation's First Project
On April 12, 1792, the 2nd United States Congress approved building the lighthouse. This happened under President George Washington. Ezra L'Hommedieu, a lawyer and a member of the Continental Congress, helped Washington with the plans. He spoke for the New York City Chamber of Commerce about the lighthouse.
L'Hommedieu explained that New York City was the busiest American port for trade with other countries. By 1797, New York's harbor handled one-third of the nation's international trade. Because of the winds in winter, ships coming from the sea needed a lighthouse at the end of Long Island. This light would guide them safely along the south side into New York harbor.
L'Hommedieu chose the spot for the lighthouse and helped design it. Construction started on June 7, 1796. It was finished on November 5, 1796. This was the very first major public building project for the new United States of America. In April 1797, the lighthouse keeper, Jacob Hand, lit the lamps. The lighthouse began working and has been active ever since.
Changes and Upgrades Over Time
In 1860, the lighthouse got a big makeover. Two new levels were added, and a larger lantern room was built. This made the tower taller, from its first height of 80 feet to its current 110 feet 6 inches. A huge first-order Fresnel lens was put in. This lens was 12 feet high, 6 feet wide, and weighed about 10,000 pounds!
The keeper's house that you see today was built next to the tower. The original 1796 house was taken down. In 1873, a steam-powered fog signal was added. A building for the fog signal was built in 1897. The tower was originally all white. Its single brown stripe was added in 1899.
In 1903, a smaller red light was added to the watch deck of the tower. This light warned ships about Shagwong Reef, a dangerous spot about 3.5 miles northwest of the lighthouse. This red light was damaged in a big storm in 1938 and removed in 1940 when the lighthouse got electricity. The huge first-order Fresnel lens was replaced in 1903 with a 3 1/2 order bivalve Fresnel lens. This lens was used until 1987. Then, an airport beacon was installed. However, as of November 2023, the original 3 1/2 order bivalve Fresnel lens from 1903 has been put back in the lighthouse after being restored.
The Lighthouse During World War II
During World War II, the U.S. Army took over the lighthouse. It became part of the Eastern Coastal Defense Shield. The last three civilian keepers left in 1943.
Next to the lighthouse, a military base called Camp Hero was opened by the Army in 1942. It had large guns to protect the coast. You can still see the concrete buildings and gun positions today.
Transfer to the Montauk Historical Society
In 1946, the United States Coast Guard took over maintaining the lighthouse. They operated it until it became automated on February 3, 1987. This means machines took over running the light, and keepers were no longer needed.
In May 1987, the lighthouse museum opened to the public. The Montauk Historical Society runs it. They leased the property from the U.S. Coast Guard. On September 30, 1996, President Bill Clinton signed a law. This law officially gave the lighthouse property to the Montauk Historical Society.
Protecting the Lighthouse from Erosion
The lighthouse was built about 300 feet (91 meters) from the edge of the cliff. But over time, the shoreline has worn away due to coastal erosion. Now, the lighthouse is only about 100 feet (30 meters) from the edge.
After World War II, the United States Army Corps of Engineers built a seawall at the base of the cliff. But the erosion continued. In 1967, the Coast Guard thought about tearing down the lighthouse. They considered replacing it with a steel tower farther from the edge. People protested this idea. Congressman Michael Forbes suggested a bill to Congress. This bill would give the lighthouse to the Montauk Historical Society to save it. The bill passed.
Giorgina Reid (1908–2001) had an idea to stop the erosion. She had saved her own cottage from falling by building simple terraces on a cliff. She suggested this idea to the Montauk Historical Society. Her method involved building terraces using natural materials like reeds. This method, along with strengthening the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, seemed to stop the erosion.
Greg Donohue, a local landscaper, continued Reid's work after she retired in 1986. With help from the Montauk Historical Society and New York State, the erosion control project was finished in 1998.
However, the threat of erosion came back in later years. In 2006, the United States Army Corps of Engineers planned to build another seawall. A local surfing group did not agree with this plan. They said a seawall would ruin the famous surf spot nearby. They suggested moving the lighthouse back from the shore, like the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved. Moving the lighthouse would be difficult because of the hilly land. Environmental groups also worried that stopping erosion at Montauk might increase erosion at other Long Island beaches.
On March 2, 2012, United States Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar officially named the lighthouse a National Historic Landmark. It was the 14th site on Long Island and the 11th lighthouse in the country to get this honor.
On January 13, 2020, the United States Army Corps of Engineers announced a $30.7 million contract. This money was for H&L Contracting to restore and protect the lighthouse from shoreline erosion. Work began in 2021 and finished in August 2023. The project involved removing and reusing large stones, adding new, heavier stones, and stabilizing the slope with terraces and plants. The lighthouse was also completely repainted. The total cost of this project was $44 million.
Getting to the Lighthouse
You can reach the lighthouse by bus. The Suffolk Transit 10C bus route goes to the lighthouse. It connects it with Montauk Village.
Local Legends
It is said that the famous pirate Captain Kidd buried treasure near the lighthouse site around 1699. He supposedly buried it at two ponds that are now called "Money Ponds."
Gallery
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View from the top of the lighthouse
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Montauk Point Lighthouse, on a NOAA nautical chart
