Governor Kathy Hochul, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District, Montauk Historical Society, and other partners have announced the reopening of the newly restored Montauk Point Lighthouse and completion of a major coastal resiliency project to protect the historic lighthouse and associated cultural resources. [Read more…] about Montauk Point Lighthouse Reopens After Major Renovation
lighthouse
Steam-Powered Lighthouse Tender Lilac in Dry Dock
Lilac, America’s only surviving steam-powered lighthouse tender, is turning 90 this year. Its birthday celebration is being launched with a dry docking. [Read more…] about Steam-Powered Lighthouse Tender Lilac in Dry Dock
Hudson-Athens Lighthouse’s Once-in-a Century Renovation
The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS) has announced the award of a $500,000 grant by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). The grant will support work to restore and protect the infrastructure of the 147-year-old Hudson-Athens Lighthouse’s primary building.
Work includes replacing its flat roof, mansard slate side roofs, gutters, and downspouts, all designed to eliminate damaging, ongoing water intrusion. In addition, a new staircase from the dock up to the building’s deck will increase and expand access and safety. Installation of an upgraded marine toilet and cistern repairs are also part of plan. [Read more…] about Hudson-Athens Lighthouse’s Once-in-a Century Renovation
Long Island Museum Launches ‘Maritime Miler’ Challenge
The Long Island Maritime Museum has announced the 2021 Maritime Miler Virtual Challenge, a new, virtual, socially distanced opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in maritime history and raise money for the museum. [Read more…] about Long Island Museum Launches ‘Maritime Miler’ Challenge
Stepping Stones Light
Stepping Stones Light is a Victorian-style lighthouse in Long Island Sound, in Nassau County, New York. The lighthouse is square-shaped and made of red brick, standing one-and-a-half stories high. The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse is a virtual twin of this structure. [Read more…] about Stepping Stones Light
Beacon Oil: New York’s Lighthouse Gas Stations
The Beacon Oil Company was formed in 1919 in Boston, and named for the city’s Beacon Hill.
In 1922, a standard service station design, called the “Watertown” used elements of the 1700s Massachusetts State House, designed by noted architect Charles Bullfinch. [Read more…] about Beacon Oil: New York’s Lighthouse Gas Stations
Great Staten Island Lighthouse History Boat Tour
The National Lighthouse Museum’s Great Staten Island Lighthouse Boat Tour has been set for Sunday, September 15th, from 11 am to 2 pm. The tour will encircle Staten Island, looking at critical points of maritime interest and the historically rich Shooters, Prall, Hoffman and Swineburn Islands. [Read more…] about Great Staten Island Lighthouse History Boat Tour
Lighthouse Weekend at National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island
The National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island has announced their yearly Lighthouse Week is set to begin on August 2nd, with the 9th Annual Light Keepers’ Gala.
Before the United States was a nation, individual colonies and municipalities constructed lighthouses on their shores to guide mariners into harbors. But since operation of these lighthouses was not governed by a centralized body, the lights lacked uniformity in their operation, impacting the safety of the mariners they were trying to protect.
[Read more…] about Lighthouse Weekend at National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island
Unique Staten Island Lighthouse Boat Tour Planned
The National Lighthouse Museum has announced “The Great Staten Island Father’s Day Lighthouse Boat Tour,” set for Sunday, June 16, from 11 am to 2 pm.
Attendees will start at Pier 1 adjacent to the National Lighthouse Museum, 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point, St. George, Staten Island, and journey up the Kill Van Kull and the Arthur Kill waterways, over to Raritan Bay and Princes’s Bay Staten Island’s southern shore. [Read more…] about Unique Staten Island Lighthouse Boat Tour Planned
Long Island History Podcast Interviews Bill Bleyer
On the latest episode of the Long Island History Project, we interview author and journalist Bill Bleyer about his long history covering the Island and uncovering its past.
Bill has written books on the Fire Island Lighthouse, Sagamore Hill, and Long Island and the Civil War. He was also a journalist at Newsday for over thirty years and played a key role in the production of Long Island: Our Story.
You’ll hear about working as a journalist on Long Island, his battle with Robert Moses, and more.
Listen to the podcast here. [Read more…] about Long Island History Podcast Interviews Bill Bleyer