Lighthouses of the United States: Long Island, New York

The United States of America is a federal union of 50 states and a capital district. The northeastern state of New York includes in the southeast the great port and financial center of New York City and Long Island extending to the east of the city; in the west and north it extends to Lakes Erie and Ontario and the lower St. Lawrence River.

Rich in waterways, New York is equally rich in lighthouses. This page lists lighthouses of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, which occupy most of Long Island in the southeastern corner of the state. The New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens occupy the western end of Long Island; their lighthouses are described on the New York City and Hudson River page. There are additional pages for Western New York and for Central and Northern New York.

Long Island stretches 118 miles (190 km) east northeast from New York Harbor to Montauk Point, with a maximum north-to-south width of 23 miles (37 km). The north side of the island faces the state of Connecticut across Long Island Sound and the south coast faces the Atlantic Ocean.

The Latimer Reef Light in Long Island Sound is listed on this page since careful study of nautical charts shows it is in New York and not in Connecticut, where it is often listed.

Navigational aids in Long Island are operated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound, with Aids to Navigation Teams based at New Haven, Connecticut, for north shore lights and at Hampton Bays, New York, for the south shore. However ownership (and sometimes operation) of historic lighthouses has been transferred to local authorities and preservation organizations in many cases.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Volume I of the USCG Light List.

Old Field Point Light
Old Field Point Light, Brookhaven, Long Island, May 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by James Hatcher

General Sources
New York Lighthouses
Photos, travel directions, and historical accounts by Kraig Anderson.
New York Lighthouses
A portfolio of photos by Jeremy D'Entremont.
New York Lighthouses
Photos by C.W. Bash.
Online List of Lights - U.S. East Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Lighthouses in New York (state)
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
New York, United States Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of Southold Town
Information posted by the East End Seaport Museum.
Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images of U.S. lighthouses posted by Klaus Huelse.
U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center: Light Lists
The USCG Light List can be downloaded in pdf format.
NOAA Nautical Charts
Nautical charts for the coast can be viewed online.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Long Island.
 
Race Rock Light
Race Rock Light, Long Island Sound, September 2007
Flickr photo copyright Jeremy D'Entremont; used by permission

Nassau County Lighthouses

Nassau County occupies part of western Long Island adjoining the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. The county is divided into three towns. The county's lighthouses are all on its north coast facing Long Island Sound.

North Hempstead Lighthouses
The town of North Hempstead occupies the northwestern corner of Nassau County; it has a population of nearly 240,000.

* King's Point (Mariner's Memorial Chapel)
1961. Active (maintained by U.S. Merchant Marine Academy); focal plane 102 ft (31 m); white light, 1 s on, 1 s off. The light is shone from the steeple of the Mariner's Memorial Chapel on the campus of the Academy. A 2012 photo is available, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a good satellite view. The light's purpose is to guide cadets returning from sailing exercises on the Sound. Located on the Academy's campus in King's Point, Great Neck. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Admiralty J0924; USCG 1-27165.
Stepping Stones
1877. Active; focal plane 46 ft; green light occulting every 4 s. 46 ft square cylindrical red brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a square red brick keeper's house; 300 mm lens. Lantern and gallery painted white. Sibling of the Hudson-Athens Light on the Hudson River. A photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Katalin Lenke Barta-Horvath has a 2022 photo, Raudis Lora has a sunset photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is endangered by lack of maintenance. In 2006 the lighthouse became available for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. In 2008 ownership was awarded to the Town of North Hempstead. In October 2011 the National Park Service found that the town had done nothing to restore the building and gave it six weeks to come up with a sharper financial plan. Further negotiations were not successful and in October 2012 NPS announced that the award of the lighthouse to the town would be rescinded. Instead the town and the Northeast Lighthouse Preservation Group Ltd. began negotiating a restoration plan, although it appeared that as much as $4 million would be required. In July 2014 town officials announced that restoration will be coordinated by the town in partnership with the Great Neck Park District, with the Great Neck Historical Society raising funds for the effort. The Society has a web page for the project. In April 2016 the National Park Service awarded $165,000, to be matched by the town, for construction of a dock at the lighthouse and a staging area onshore for the restoration. In April 2017 the town hired engineers to plan the restoration and earmarked $520,000 in its capital budget for the first phase of the work. In September the town council applied for a $200,000 National Park Service grant to advance restoration efforts. There's been no recent activity, and in October 2022 preservationists called urgently for the town to act; officials said they were assessing the possible costs. In Januray 2023 the town budgeted $535,000 to build a pier and dock at the lighthouse, the first step needed for restoration. But in April the town supervisor announced the town lacked the proper permits for the project and was returning the $165,000 federal grant meant to support the work. In response the Great Neck Historical Society called on the National Park Service to take back the lighthouse find a new owner. Located on a reef in the Sound northwest of Great Neck and opposite City Island in the Bronx. Visible from the Throgs Neck Bridge (I-295), from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point, and from City Island, Bronx. Accessible only by boat; guided boat tours are sometimes offered (reservations needed). Site and tower closed. Owner: Town of North Hempstead. Site manager: Stepping Stones Lighthouse Preservation Project . ARLHS USA-811; Admiralty J0923; USCG 1-21505.
Stepping Stones Light
Stepping Stones Light, Great Neck, September 2006
Flickr Creative Commons photo by reivax
Sands Point (1)
1809 (Noah Mason). Inactive since 1922; charted as a landmark. 46 ft (14 m) octagonal early Federal brownstone tower. The original lantern was removed in 1922 but replaced later with a wooden lantern and gallery quite different from the originals. 2-1/2 story colonial style keeper's house (1868) attached to the tower by a covered passageway. Anderson's page has a photo showing the large estate on which the lighthouse now stands (also shown is the modern Sands Point Daybeacon, USCG 1-21470). Natalia Hanson has a 2020 photo, Jose Gonzalez has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The light was moved to a skeletal tower offshore (see next entry) in 1922. This is the 12th oldest lighthouse in the U.S. but it is certainly the least known of the early towers. The estate and lighthouse were previously owned (1927-1940) by the famous newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. In 2014 the owners were restoring the lighthouse but no information on the restoration is available. Located at the end of NY 101 in Sands Point. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: private. . ARLHS USA-727.
[Sands Point (3?)]
Date unknown. Daybeacon, unlit. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower carrying diamond-shaped daymarks colored in a green and white checkerboard pattern. Brendan Jenkins has a street view from the beach, Anderson has a small photo, and Google has a satellite view. In 1922 the Sands Point Light was moved from the historic lighthouse (previous entry) to a skeletal tower offshore. It's not known when the light was removed and the tower downgraded to a daybeacon. Located on a reef about 800 ft (245 m) off Sands Point. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. USCG 1-21470.
Execution Rocks
1850 (Alexander Parris). Active; focal plane 62 ft (19 m); white flash every 10 s. 60 ft (18 m) old-style round granite waveswept tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-1/2 story granite keeper's house (1868); solar-powered APRB-251 aerobeacon (1993). Lighthouse painted white with a dark brown horizontal band in the middle; lantern also painted white. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). James Hatcher's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo by Michael Boucher, Craig Morrison has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Brendan Jenkins has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. A sibling of Mount Desert Rock Light in Maine, this was the last of three old-style waveswept towers designed by the famous architect Alexander Parris (1780-1852). In 2007 the lighthouse was available for transfer under NHLPA and in 2008 Historically Significant Structures (HSS), a new preservation group based in Philadelphia, was selected as the recipient. Ownership was transferred in April 2009. HSS received a state grant of $600,000 for restoration; during 2012 it replaced the roof of the keeper's house and repainted the tower. As of 2013 the keeper's house is open for overnight stays (rustic conditions, but boat transportation is available). Engineers estimate that $2.2 million would be needed for a complete restoration. Daunted by the scale of this undertaking, HSS announced willingness to sell or lease the lighthouse and in July 2017 they offered it for sale (unrestored) for a whopping $2.5 million. This offer was later cancelled and there was some progress in restoring the interior of the structures. However the HSS web site has disappeared and there is a lack of information about ongoing restoration projects. Note: the red buoy seen in one of Anderson's photos is the unlighted Execution Rocks Shoal East Side Buoy, USCG 1-21455. Located on a rock reef one mile (1.6 km) north of Sands Point, near the center of the Sound. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed except for guided tours (check the Facebook page for anouncements). Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: Historically Significant Structures . ARLHS USA-277; Admiralty J0916; USCG 1-21440.
Execution Rocks Light
Execution Rocks Light, Great Neck, May 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by James Hatcher

Oyster Bay Lighthouse
Oyster Bay occupies the northeastern quarter of Nassau County; it has a population of a little over 300,000.

Cold Spring Harbor (1) (relocated)
1890. Inactive since 1965. 35 ft (10.5 m) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating a very cramped keeper's quarters. The current owner, known to lighthouse fans as Lady Glen, bought it for $1 in 1965, had it towed it to her home and set it up on the lawn. Lighthouse Digest has photos in a November 1995 feature story by Sandra Shanklin, and Google has a satellite view. The Coast Guard has a historic photo of the light station before relocation. Located in the Plum Point neighborhood of Centre Island (connected by the Centre Island Road causeway to the mainland at Bayville). Site and tower closed (gated community); according to Anderson the tower can be seen from Lloyd Harbor across the bay. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-183.

Suffolk County Lighthouses

Suffolk County, including the eastern 2/3 of Long Island, has more lighthouses than any other U.S. county. It has a population of about 1.5 million. The county is divided into ten towns.

Huntington Lighthouses
Located in the northwestern corner of Suffolk County, Huntington has a population of about 200,000. Cold Spring Harbor is on the west side of the town; Huntington Harbor is in the center, sheltered on the east by the peninsula of Eaton's Neck.
Cold Spring Harbor (2) (original site)
1965. Active; focal plane 37 ft (11 m); continuous white light (red sector covers dangerous shoal). 25 ft (8 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower mounted on the caisson of the 1890 lighthouse (previous entry). Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located about 100 yards (90 m) off Lloyd Beach in Cold Spring Harbor. Accessible only by boat; there's a distant view from West Neck Road. Site and tower closed. Site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Admiralty J0880; USCG 1-26870.
[Lloyd Harbor]
1857. Inactive since 1912. The lighthouse was replaced by the Huntington Harbor Light in 1912 and destroyed by fire in 1947; its foundation survives. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the lighthouse and Bing has a satellite view of the station ruins. Located on Lloyd Neck at the northern entrance to Lloyd Harbor, a western extension of Huntington Harbor. Site appears to be open but may be accessible only by boat. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS USA-1305.
** Huntington Harbor (2)
1912 (station established 1857). Active; focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 42 ft (13 m) square cylindrical reinforced concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story reinforced concrete keeper's house; 300 mm lens (1967). The building is unpainted concrete; lantern painted black. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). Kenneth Zirkel's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a good photo, Justin Hughes has a 2018 photo, a 2023 photo is available, Steven Sager has a photo, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, Google has a very distant street view from the end of Southdown Road in Lloyd Harbor, and Google has a satellite view. This little lighthouse is unique in its design. Its interior was gutted by fire in 1947 but local preservationists have been working to restore the lighthouse since 1985. The exterior has been restored, the Coast Guard has built a new steel dock, and the interior restoration is nearly complete. In 2010 the lighthouse became eligible for transfer under NHLPA and in December 2011 it was announced that the lighthouse would be transferred to the preservation society. In March 2012 the society launched a campaign for $800,000 to place boulders to protect the lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed in 2017 for this work to be carried out. The lighthouse is actually located in the entrance to Lloyd Harbor, although it also marks the entrance to the nearby Huntington Harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site generally closed (no private docking); tower open for guided tours on selected Sundays late June through September. Owner/site manager: Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society . ARLHS USA-445; Admiralty J0878; USCG 1-26530.

Huntington Harbor Light, Huntington, August 2011
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Kenneth Zirkel
Eaton's Neck
1799 (John McComb). Active; focal plane 144 ft (44 m); continuous white light. 73 ft (22 m) octagonal fieldstone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story utility building. A 3rd order Fresnel lens (1856) is in use; it is the only active Fresnel lens on Long Island. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). The original keeper's houses were demolished in 1969 and replaced by modern Coast Guard buildings. This is an active Coast Guard station. Minhua Bao has a 2022 photo of the lighthouse under restoration, and Bob Dennis has the 2023 photo at right showing the results. Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, James Hatcher has a photo, Lighthouse Digest has an article on life at the light station and also a more recent article, Marinas.com has fine aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is a treasure: one of only six 18th century lighthouses in the U.S. Some renovations were made in 1999; windows and cornices were repaired and the masonry was patched. Unfortunately, the station grounds have been closed to the public since early 2000. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road in Huntington. Site and tower closed; group tours can be arranged. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard Station Eaton's Neck . ARLHS USA-264; Admiralty J0872; USCG 1-21325.

Brookhaven North Shore Lighthouses
Brookhaven is the largest and most populous of Suffolk County's towns with a population nearing half a million. The town spans the island and has both north and south coasts.

Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground)
1877. Active; focal plane 60 ft (18 m); white flash every 5 s. 35 ft (10.5 m) octagonal cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 1-1/2 story granite Gothic Revival keeper's house, mounted on granite caisson; solar-powered VRB-25 lens. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). Building trim and lantern painted white. Anderson's page has great photos, Trabas has Michael Boucher's closeup photo, and D'Entremont has a fine photo. Sibling of Race Rock Light, New York. Nick Korstad, the owner of the Borden Flats Lighthouse at Fall River, Massachusetts, organized the Korstad Marine Preservation Society and successfully applied for ownership. However the sale has not closed due to bottom lands issues and some uncertainty as to whether the lighthouse is actually in Connecticut (the location of the state line is somewhat uncertain and there has been some dispute as to whether this lighthouse is in Connecticut or New York; most maps place it in Connecticut). Located in the middle of Long Island Sound off Bridgeport Harbor. There's a distant view from the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson, New York, ferry. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS USA-1010; Admiralty J0812; USCG 1-21260.

Eaton's Neck Light, Asharoken, May 2023
Google Maps photo by Bob Dennis
* Old Field Point (2)
1868 (station established 1825). Reactivated (inactive 1933-1991); focal plane 74 ft (22.5 m); flash every 12 s, alternating red and green. 35 ft (10.5 m) wood octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on 2-1/2 story granite keeper's house; FA-251 optic. Light tower and lantern painted black; granite unpainted. The original 1-story stone keeper's house (1824) is also preserved and serves as a village meeting hall. Sibling of Block Island North Light in Rhode Island. A photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has an excellent photo, Bash has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Close to the edge of the bluff, it may become endangered by erosion in the future. The Village of Old Field purchased the lighthouse in 1927 for $2400 to use a village office and the residence of the village constable. The light was moved to a skeletal tower in 1933 and returned to the lighthouse in 1991; the skeletal tower was removed. In 2024 the lighthouse was added to state and national historic registers and Village Trustees were raising funds for a $2 million restoration. Located near the end of Old Field Road in Old Field, Brookhaven township. Site open (no parking near the site), tower closed. Visible from the Port Jefferson-Bridgeport, Connecticut, ferry. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: Village of Old Field. . ARLHS USA-563; Admiralty J0826; USCG 1-21275.

Southold (North Fork) Lighthouses
At its eastern end Long Island divides into two narrow peninsulas, the North Fork and the South Fork. The Town of Southold includes most of the 30 mi (50 km) long North Fork. Southold has a permanent population of about 24,000.

**
Horton Point
1857 (William Sinclair). Reactivated (inactive 1933-1990); focal plane 103 ft (31 m); green flash every 10 s. 58 ft (18 m) square cylindrical stucco-clad brick and granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to one end of a 2-story stucco-clad brick keeper's house; VRB-25 lens. Entire building painted white; the lantern roof is unpainted green copper. Erik Anestad's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, Sean Correia has a 2021 photo, Doug Kerr has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Bob McElroy has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The building was expanded about 1887, adding the 2-story section between the tower and the original keeper's house. The light was moved to a skeletal tower in 1933 and returned to the lighthouse in 1990; the skeletal tower was removed. The abandoned lighthouse was in greatly deteriorated condition by the 1960s and there were proposals to demolish it. Fortunately the Southold Historical Society and Southold Park District intervened to restore the building, opening it as a museum in 1977. There was also a major renovation in 1990, when the tower was restored, reopened and relit. The lighthouse is now a nautical museum; an FA-251 optic (used 1990-1999) and a 4th order Fresnel lens of uncertain origin are on display. The museum was renovated in the winter of 2005-06 prior to celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2007. In 2019 a restored outbuilding opened as the Whale House, a museum for whale artifacts. The inetrior of the lighthouse was renovated in 2023 with upgraded and reorgnized museum exhibits. The lighthouse is the centerpiece of an 8 acre (3.5 ha) town park. Located atop a cliff at the end of Lighthouse Road in Southold. Site open daily, but the parking lot is only open Thursday through Sunday from Memorial Day (late May) through Columbus Day (mid October); museum and tower open (small fee) 11:30 am through 4 pm Saturdays and Sundays from Memorial Day (late May) through Columbus Day (mid October). Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner: Southold Park District. Site manager: Southold Historical Society (Horton Point Lighthouse and Nautical Museum ). ARLHS USA-387; Admiralty J0764; USCG 1-21150.
Horton Point Light
Horton Point Light, Southold, August 2012
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Erik Anestad
Orient Point ("Coffee Pot")
1899. Reactivated (inactive 1970-1973); focal plane 64 ft (19.5 m); white flash every 5 s. 46 ft (16 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower with lantern and double gallery, incorporating 3-story round keeper's house; 190 mm lens (1988). Upper half of the lighthouse, including the lantern, painted black, lower half white. Fog horn (two 2 s blasts every 30 s). The tower has a long-standing lean of about 5°. A 2016 photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Jose Antonio Baeza has a 2023 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Saved from demolition in 1970 by public protests, the lighthouse was renovated by the Coast Guard in 2000. In 2011 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA; when no organizations qualified the lighthouse was placed at auction in September 2012 and sold for $120,000. However, the buyer failed to close on the deal and in June 2013 the lighthouse was again on the auction block; this time it sold for $252,000 to a company headed by artist Randy Polumbo. A December 2019 article in the NorthForker describes how he has converted the lighthouse into an artist's residency. Accessible only by boat. Visible from lighthouse cruises (available April-November), from the Orient Point-New London, Connecticut, ferry, or from a 1/2 mile (800 m) hiking trail that rounds the point from Orient Point County Park, at the end of NY 25. Site and tower closed. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: private. . ARLHS USA-633; Admiralty J0718; USCG 1-21095.

Orient Point Light, Southold, June 2016
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Christine from L.I.
Plum Island (Plum Gut) (2)
1870 (station established 1827). Inactive since 1978. 55 ft (17 m) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the front of 2-story granite keeper's quarters. A 4th order Fresnel lens (1897) from the lighthouse is displayed at the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport. The brick oil house carried a light on a skeletal tower from 1978 to 1992, but the oil house was lost to beach erosion in 1997. Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo of the active light (focal plane 50 ft (15 m); white flash every 2.5 s) on a 15 ft (4.5 m) square skeletal tower located near the lighthouse. A photo is at right, John RoeMechia has a photo, Constantine Manolagas has a 2022 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. A sibling of Block Island North Light in Rhode Island, the lighthouse is endangered by beach erosion and neglect and was for several years on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. A restoration effort was organized by the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society. Lighthouse Digest profiled this effort in January 2000 and reported on the light station's condition in July. To stabilize the bluff the Corps of Engineers in 2004 installed 20,000 tons of stone removed from another Long Island location. The East End Lighthouses group worked on restoration plans; the first steps would be to restore the lantern and bring electric power to the lighthouse. Lighthouse Digest reported on these efforts in October 2004. Management of the island, site of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center, was transferred from the Dept. of Agriculture to the Dept. of Homeland Security in June 2003. In January 2012 DHS requested $1.5 million to repair the exterior of the lighthouse and remove hazardous materials from the site; it appears that little or nothing was done. In July 2018 the town government asked the federal government to provide funding for emergency repairs to the deteriorating light tower and lantern, and in July 2019 the Dept. of Homeland Security and Army Corps of Engineers agreed to spend $1.5 million to stabilize the building. Work on this project began in fall 2022 and was completed in 2023; the roof was completely rebuilt including new support beams inside, and the light tower and lantern were restored and repainted. The Preserve Plum Island Coalition worked to prevent a planned sale of the island to the highest bidder, and in December 2020 Congress cancelled the sale. The Coalition hopes to make the island a state park or perhaps a national monument. Located at the west end of Plum Island opposite Orient Point. Visible from the Orient Point-New London, Connecticut, ferry. Site and tower closed (high security area). Owner/site manager: U.S. Department of Homeland Security. . ARLHS USA-606. Active light: Admiralty J0722; USCG 1-21090.

Plum Island Light, Southold, September 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Hhoschton
Little Gull Island (2)
1869 (station established 1804). Active; focal plane 91 ft (28 m); 2 white flashes every 15 s. 81 ft (25 m) round granite tower with lantern and gallery; aerobeacon. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). Watch room painted white, lantern roof red; the granite tower is unpainted. The original 2nd order Fresnel lens is displayed at the East End Seaport Maritime Museum in Greenport. The keeper's house was demolished in 1978. D'Entremont's photo is at right, Karen Gallo has a 2022 photo, Philip Kohler has a 2017 photo, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, and Google has a good satellite view. In 2009 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA; when no organizations qualified the lighthouse was placed at auction in September 2012 and sold for $381,000 -- a high price, considering that there is no house included. The new owner, Connecticut businessman Fred Plumb, stated in late 2015 that he hoped to be able to open the lighthouse to the public. He established the Little Gull Light Foundation to work for restoration. In 2022 the New London Maritime Society began offering occasional guided tours to the lighthouse. Located on Little Gull Island off the east point of Plum Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed except for Maritime Society tours. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-440; Admiralty J0726; USCG 1-19830.
Race Rock
1879 (Francis H. Smith and Thomas A. Scott). Active; focal plane 67 ft (20.5 m); red flash every 10 s. 45 ft (14 m) octagonal cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one side of a 1-1/2 story granite Gothic revival keeper's house; all mounted on a granite caisson and protected by rip rap; rotating DCB-24 aerobeacon (1979). Lantern painted white, granite unpainted. Fog horn (two 2 s blasts every 30 s). D'Entremont's photo is at the top of this page, Karen Gallo has a 2019 photo, Dennis Caruana has a 2014 photo, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is on a difficult and dangerous site; construction took 6 years. In 2005 the lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2009 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA, and in June 2013 ownership was transferred to the New London (Connecticut) Maritime Society. The Society has a web page for the lighthouse. The Society has made minor repairs, secured the lighthouse, and removed lead paint and bird droppings. In July 2022 the Society launched a drive to raise $2.284 million, the cost engineers estimate for a complete restoration. Located on a reef 3/4 mile (1.2 km) west southwest of Race Point, the western tip of Fisher's Island. Accessible only by boat; dangerous waters. Site and tower normally closed; the Society offers occasional tours during the summer months. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: New London Maritime Society. ARLHS USA-681; Admiralty J0686; USCG 1-19815.

Little Gull Island Light, Long Island Sound, September 2007
Flickr photo copyright Jeremy D'Entremont; used by permission
North Dumpling (2)
1871 (station established 1849). Reactivated (inactive 1959-1980); focal plane 60 ft (18 m); continuous white light (displays red to the southeast). 31 ft (10 m) octagonal shingled wooden tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story red brick (originally wooden) residence; 300 mm lens (1980). The original lantern has been replaced with a modern lantern room, painted white with a shingled roof. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). Robert English has a good 2006 closeup, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, D'Entremont has a 2007 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The house was extensively modified from the original in 1980 and its brick facade is modern. The light, which had been moved to a skeletal tower in 1959, was returned to the original tower during the 1980 renovation. Originally a sibling of the Colchester Reef Light in Vermont (Albert Dow, designer). The Coast Guard has a photo showing the light's original appearance. The current owner is Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway; he installed a wind turbine to help power the house and light. Located on a small island between Fisher's Island, New York, and Groton Long Point, Connecticut. Accessible only by boat. Visible from Fisher's Island, which is accessible by ferry from New London, Connecticut. Site and tower closed. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-552; Admiralty J0680; USCG 1-20145.
Latimer Reef
1884. Active; focal plane 55 ft (17 m); white flash every 6 s. 49 ft (15 m) round cast iron sparkplug tower (brick lined) with lantern and double gallery, incorporating 3-story keeper's house and mounted on a concrete caisson; 300 mm lens (1983). Fog bell (2 strokes every 15 s). Tower painted white with a single horizontal brown band; lantern is also white. Anderson has a fine page with excellent photos, Robert English has a 2006 photo, Dan Dionne has a 2010 photo, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a sibling of the Stamford Harbor Light in Connecticut. In 2008 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA; when no groups qualified for ownership the lighthouse was sold to an unknown private buyer in August 2010 for $225,000. The owner is believed to be Scott Phillips, the owner of a financial services company. Located in Fishers Island Sound southwest of Stonington, Connecticut, near the point where the borders of New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island converge. Accessible only by boat; there are distant views from the Connecticut shore. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private; operator: U.S. Coast Guard. . ARLHS USA-1049; Admiralty J0671; USCG 1-20085.
Long Beach Bar ("Bug Light") (2)
1990 reconstruction of 1871 lighthouse (Albert Dow, designer). Light station reactivated (inactive 1945-1990); focal plane 63 ft (19 m); white flash every 4 s. 65 ft (20 m) wooden octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story square wood keeper's house, all mounted on a concrete foundation (1926) but supported in part by the original (1871) screwpile foundation. 250 mm lens. Lighthouse painted white, including the roof and lantern; lantern roof is black. A photo is at right, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, Karen Anderson Stephens has a 2021 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Joshua Carnes has a street view from shore, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of the Colchester Reef Light in Vermont. The original lighthouse was burned by arsonists in 1963. The lighthouse was rebuilt by the East End Seaport Museum, which raised $140,000 for the purpose. For several years it was the subject of controversy: a group called East End Lighthouses, founded by a former director of the Museum, contended with the Museum for management rights. In 2005 the Museum and East End Lighthouses reached an agreement; the Museum remained responsible for routine maintenance and repairs and maintains a fund for that work, and East End Lighthouses would have the responsibility for all major repairs and improvements. Since then the two organizations have combined, bringing the controversy to an end. The lighthouse may be endangered by deterioration of the original screwpilings. Located in the entrance to Orient Harbor off Long Beach Point. Accessible only by boat; visible from Orient Beach State Park. Site and tower closed except for occasional tours offered by the museum. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: East End Seaport Museum and Marine Foundation. . ARLHS USA-448; Admiralty J0701.5; USCG 1-27975.

Long Beach Bar Light, Orient Harbor, July 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Photo GEM

East Hampton (South Fork) Lighthouses
At its eastern end, Long Island divides into two narrow peninsulas, the North Fork and the South Fork. The Town of East Hampton includes the eastern end of the South Fork and the base of the peninsula is occupied by the town of Southampton. Widely known as The Hamptons, the two towns are a very popular summer resort area.
* Cedar Island (2)
1868 (station established 1839). Inactive since 1934. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to one corner of a 2-1/2 story granite keeper's house. Active light (focal plane 57 ft (17 m); green flash every 4 s) on a square cylindrical steel skeletal tower. Brick oil house (1902). The interior of the lighthouse was gutted by fire in 1974. Endangered by neglect and in very poor condition, the lighthouse is on the Lighthouse Digest Doomsday List. A photo is at right, Christian Kolby has a 2023 photo, Capt. Gerry Hare has a 2017 photo, and Google has a satellite view. In the late 1990s a Cedar Island Lighthouse Committee formed to work for preservation and restoration, but an August 2000 Lighthouse Digest story reported the building remained in very bad condition. In March 2002 the Long Island Chapter and Suffolk County Parks announced a joint effort to restore the lighthouse, and in August Lighthouse Digest carried a full report on the site. In spring 2003 some preliminary work was beginning in the lighthouse. In early 2004 the oil house was restored and later that year an architectural firm was studying the lighthouse. The engineering report was submitted in early 2006 but progress stalled. In June 2008 the Long Island Chapter announced a new fund raising effort for the lighthouse. In 2010 the Cedar Island Restoration Project was announced. An engineer estimated that about $1 million was needed just for exterior repairs. In November 2013 the lantern was removed and transported to Sag Harbor for restoration. In June 2014 Suffolk County extended the license of the preservation committee and it was announced that a B&B was planned for the lighthouse once it is restored. In November 2016 the Suffolk County Legislature agreed to spend up to $500,000 to put a new roof on the building and secure the exterior. In August 2017 a $165,000 contract to plan the restoration was awarded to the Lee H. Skolnick design and engineering form. In 2019 the county appropriated $500,000 to begin the exterior restoration and announced plans to spend $1 million in each of 2020 and 2021. A new roof was finally installed in summer 2020. Located on Cedar Point (the former Cedar Island has been joined to the mainland since 1938) northeast of Sag Harbor. Accessible by a hike of about 1.5 miles (2.5 km) each way. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Suffolk County (Cedar Point County Park). ARLHS USA-147. Active light: Admiralty J0702; USCG 1-28245.
Cedar Island Light
Cedar Island Light, Sag Harbor, September 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Boats-n-Cars
** Montauk Yacht Club
1928. Inactive since 2011. 60 ft (18 m) octagonal brick tower, painted white, with white-shingled watch room, octagonal lantern, and two galleries, attached to a large yacht club complex. Maksim Mercuri has a 2023 photo, 2010 photo is available, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is one of the oldest privately built and maintained lighthouses in the U.S. It was built by Carl Fisher as part of a resort development that also included dredging a canal to connect Lake Montauk with Block Island Sound, creating a large protected anchorage. The tower houses meeting rooms. The light never had much navigational value and it was deactivated during summer 2011, but the tower continues to be charted as a daybeacon. Located on Star Island in Lake Montauk. Accessible via the Star Island Road causeway off West Lake Drive in Montauk. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Gurney's Star Island. ARLHS USA-1308; ex-Admiralty J0697; ex-USCG 1-19985.
**** Montauk Point
1797 (John McComb). Active; focal plane 168 ft (51 m); white flash every 5 s. 110 ft (33.5 m) octagonal sandstone tower with lantern and gallery; 3-1/2 order Fresnel lens in use. Tower painted white with a broad brown band, lantern black. Fog horn (2 s blast every 15 s). The keeper's house (1860) is used as a museum; displays include the 3-1/2 order Fresnel lens used 1904-1987, also two 4th order Fresnel lenses and a 5th order lens, all of uncertain origin. The second floor includes an apartment for the resident keeper. An older 2-story brick keeper's house (1838) was converted to a barn and later to a garage. The oil house, fog signal building (1897), and other structures are also preserved. A photo appears at right, the Long Island Genealogy Home Page has a history of the light station, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a closeup photo, Juan Martin Verdu has a 2018 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is a historic and well-loved lighthouse, the oldest in New York and fifth oldest in the United States. There was a major restoration of the tower in 1998-99. A modern visitor center was completed in 2005 and there are plans to restore the exterior of the 1838 keeper's quarters. The light station is endangered by beach erosion, previously held at bay by a 400 ft (120 m) stone revetment built in 1992. In 2006 the Army Corps of Engineers received $12 million in funding to build a much longer and stronger barrier. These plans had to be redone after Hurricane Sandy (2012) and the project began in 2021 at a total cost of $24 million. In March 2012 the light station was designated a National Historic Landmark. In November 2014 an effort was launched to raise $200,000 to renovate the fog signal building; the restored building opened in August 2015 as the Montauk Oceans Institute. A $1.3 million exterior restoration project began in May 2019. The lighthouse remained open during this project, which proceeded in phases through 2021 and 2022. In August 2023 leaders met to celebrate completeion of the projects. In November 2023 the Coast Guard reinstalled the 1903 Fresnel lens, which had been on display in the museum since 1987. The installation was the start of a two-year study to see how well historic lenses can be mainatined and operated in an environmentally-controlled lantern room. Located on Turtle Hill at the tip of Montauk Point (end of NY 27), the easternmost tip of Long Island. Site open; museum and tower open daily May 1 through mid October and on weekends and holidays during spring and fall. Operator: U.S. Coast Guard. Owner/site manager: Montauk Historical Society . ARLHS USA-512; Admiralty J0690; USCG 1-0660.
Montauk Point Light
Montauk Point Light, East Hampton, June 2012
Flickr Creative Commons photo by AudreyH
 

Southampton Lighthouse
* Shinnecock (Ponquogue, Great West Bay) (4)
Date unknown (station established 1858). Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); 2 white flashes every 15 s. 75 ft (23 m) square cylindrical skeletal tower with gallery. Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original lighthouse, a 160 ft (41 m) brick tower similar to the Cape May lighthouse in New Jersey, was located at the Coast Guard station on the mainland side of Shinnecock Bay. Deactivated in 1931, it was toppled by the Coast Guard in 1948: a tragic loss. The oil house survives. Huelse has a historic postcard view and Lighthouse Digest has an article on the lighthouse and its destruction. The light was moved to a communications tower next to the Coast Guard station. Located on Ponquogue Point on the mainland, near the Ponquogue Bridge and about a mile northwest of Shinnecock Inlet. Site open. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard Station Shinnecock. ARLHS USA-755; Admiralty J0998; USCG 1-0675.

Patchogue (Brookhaven South Shore) Lighthouses
Patchogue River
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 ft (5.5 m); red flash every 5 s. 16 ft (5 m) round cylindrical unpainted concrete tower. Alida Thorpe has a photo and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located on a rough stone jetty on the east of the entrance to the Patchogue River. Accessible only by boat (not a walkable pier) but easy to see from nearby. Site open, tower closed. USCG 1-29765.
Patchogue Breakwater (3?)
2019 (station established 1901). Active (privately maintained); focal plane about 30 ft (9 m); green flash every 4 s. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) hexagonal metal tower painted white; lantern painted black. A photo is at right, Nestor Rivera has a drone view, and Patchogue Village has a sunset photo, but the lighthouse is too new to appear in Google's satellite view. The original light on a short skeletal tower is seen in Alida Thorpe's 2012 photo. This lighthouse was built by the Town of Brookhaven and the Village of Patchogue in connection with a reconstruction of the jetty (east breakwater) at Patchogue. Located at the end of the jetty on Great South Bay. Accessible only by boat (not a walkable pier) but easy to see from nearby. Site open, tower closed. . USCG 1-29760.
 

Patchogue Breakwater Light, Patchogue, July 2020
Instagram photo by Island View Marina
 

Islip Lighthouse
**** Fire Island (2)
1858 (station established 1826). Reactivated (inactive 1974-1986, now maintained by the park service); focal plane 180 ft (55 m); white flash every 7.5 s, day and night. 168 ft (51 m) round tapering cement-clad brick tower with lantern and gallery; rotating DCB-224 aerobeacon (1986). Tower painted with four bands, alternating black and white; lantern black. The original 1st order Fresnel lens (1858-1939), previously on display at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, is now displayed in a special building on site. 2-story stone keeper's quarters. A 4th order Fresnel lens of uncertain origin is displayed at the visitor center. Foundations of the 1826 lighthouse (a 74 ft (22.5 m) stone octagonal) remain visible. Stone from that tower was used to build the terrace of the 1858 lighthouse. John Axisa's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page, the National Park Service also has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has Michael Boucher's photo, a 2022 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is the tallest New York lighthouse. Plans to demolish the lighthouse in 1981 led to the start of preservation efforts. The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society has worked for preservation and restoration of the lighthouse since 1982; the society leased the light station from the Coast Guard in 1996. In 2000 Congress appropriated $350,000 for structural repairs to the tower and improved exhibits. In 2001 the Coast Guard agreed to return the 1st order Fresnel lens for display, and in early 2007 the crated lens arrived. FILPS developed a plan to exhibit it in a reconstructed powerhouse building, and in 2011 the restoration and reassembly of the lens was completed; the new building housing the lens was dedicated in July. An August 2011 photo of the lens is available. In 2005 the Coast Guard announced plans to replace the DCB-224 with a weaker solar-powered strobe light. FILPS protested this plan and in February 2006 the Society signed an agreement to take over ownership and maintenace of the aerobeacons and their backup generators. Following Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 the light station was closed for almost a year. During the closure the exterior was restored and the concrete coating was replaced. In 2014 a legal fight arose over plans to rebuild dunes protecting the lighthouse, with lighthouse preservationists supporting the project and environmentalists opposed. In 2017 the park service repaired damage to the lighthouse terrace caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Located at the west end of the Fire Island National Seashore in Saltaire. Accessible year-round by a walk of about one mile (1.6 km) from the Field 5 parking area at Robert Moses State Park; also accessible in season by passenger ferry from Bay Shore to Saltaire. Site open; visitor center and museum open daily (shorter hours in the winter); tower open to guided tours daily provided volunteer guides are available. Owner/operator: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Fire Island National Seashore (Fire Island Lighthouse). ARLHS USA-286; Admiralty J1016; USCG 1-0695.

Fire Island Light, Saltaire, September 2022
Google Maps photo
by John Axisa

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Adjoining pages: North: Connecticut | West: New York City and Hudson River

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Checked and revised June 14, 2023. Lighthouses: 25. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.