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Name: Montauk Point Light  

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Also known as: Montauk Light

Nearest Town or City:
Montauk, New York, United States

Location: East end of Long Island, entrance to Long Island Sound.


Click to enlarge: Photo    Large photo
Photo: Courtesy of Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum

Managing Organization:
Montauk Historical Society

Telephone: 631-668-2544

Website: http://www.montauklighthouse.com
Email: keeper@montauklighthouse.com

Contact Address Information:
P.O. Box 943
Montauk
New York, 11954, United States

Notes:
Montauk Point Light is the oldest lighthouse in New York. It was authorized by President George Washington in 1792. It is the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the United States.

Tower Height: 110

Height of Focal Plane: 168

Characteristic and Range: Flashing white every five seconds. Visible for 19 nautical miles.

Description of Tower: Octagonal, pyramidal, sandstone tower; white with brown band in middle, with black cast iron lantern.

This light is operational

Other Buildings?
1860 keeper's house, oil house, storage building.

Date Established: 1796

Date Present Tower Built: 1796

Date Automated: 1987

Optics: c. 1838: 13 lamps and 14.5

Fog Signal: 1873: First class Daboll trumpet operated by hot air engine; 1898: First class siren operated by air compressor; 1939: Air diaphragm horn; now automated horn with one blast every 15 seconds.

Current Use: Active aid to navigation, museum.

Open To Public? Yes.

Museum?
The Montauk Historical Society maintains a museum in the 1860 keeper's house. The museum includes historic photos, models of the lighthouse and surrounding terrain, an exhibit on Long Island Sound lighthouses, and lanterns and lenses. There is also a gift shop. The lighthouse's old 3 1/2 order Fresnel lens is also on display in the museum. Visitors are allowed to climb to the watch room of the tower. For information on school and group tours call (631) 668-2544. The lighthouse and museum are open every day in summer (mid-May to Columbus Day) and on selected weekends the rest of the year. Call (631) 668-2544 for the current schedule. Children must be 41 inches tall to climb the tower.

Directions:
From New York City: Go east on I-495 to Exit 70, then south on NY 111 to NY 27. Take NY 27 east to Montauk Point. Montauk is also accessible via ferry (May-October) from New London, Connecticut, and Block Island, Rhode Island. Call Viking Fleet Ferry Lines for information at (516) 668-5700.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

Keepers: Jacob Hand (1796-1812); Jared Hand (1812-1814); Patrick F. Gould (1832-1849); John Hobart (1849-1850); Silas P. Loper (1850-1865); Jonathan A. Miller (1865-1869 and 1872-1875); James G. Scott (1885-1910); John F. Anderson (2nd Asst. Keeper, Nov. 1, 1906 to Jan 5, 1908, 1st Asst. Keeper, Jan 5, 1908 to Oct. 12, 1908, keeper, Oct. 1, 1910 to May 16, 1912); John E. Miller (1912-1929), Carl F.W. Anderson


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