Montauk Point Light
The Montauk Point Light, or Montauk Point Lighthouse, is a lighthouse located adjacent to Montauk Point State Park, at the easternmost point of Long Island, in the hamlet of Montauk in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York. The lighthouse was the first to be built within the state of New York, and was the first public works project of the new United States. It is the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the United States. Montauk Point Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2012, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark for its significance to New York and international shipping in the early Federal period.
Montauk Point Light in April 2020 | |
| Location | Montauk Point, Suffolk County, New York, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°04′16″N 71°51′26″W |
| Tower | |
| Foundation | 13 ft (4 m) deep and 9 ft (3 m) thick, Natural, Emplaced, built in 1796 |
| Construction | Sandstone |
| Automated | 1987 |
| Height | 110.5 ft (33.7 m) structure |
| Shape | Octagonal pyramidal |
| Markings | Tower painted white with a broad red band midway, lantern black |
| Heritage | National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places listed place, New York State Register of Historic Places listed place |
| Fog signal | Horn: 1 2s in every 15s |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1797 |
| Focal height | 168 ft (51 m) |
| 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. |
Montauk Point Lighthouse | |
| Nearest city | East Hampton, New York, U.S. |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1796 |
| Architect | John McComb Jr. |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000142 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | July 07, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | March 2, 2012 |
| Designated NYSRHP | June 23, 1980 |
The lighthouse, which is located on Turtle Hill at the easternmost tip of Long Island, at 2000 Montauk Highway, is a privately run museum, and is not part of Montauk Point State Park. Entry to the lighthouse costs $15.00 for an adult, $8.00 for seniors and $5.00 per child.