Orient Point Lighthouse was built in 1899 to guide mariners through the riptides and strong currents in Plum Gut. The circular cast-iron and brick-lined structure, dubbed “The Coffee Pot,” was scheduled to be torn down in 1970 but was saved by the public. Today, it is on the National Register of Historic Places. https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=744
There’s no need for a boat to tour Horton Point Lighthouse. The historic 58-foot tower is accessible off Lighthouse Road in Southold. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1790 under George Washington, but wasn’t constructed until 1857. It’s listed on both the national and state registers of historic places. 631-765-5500 • https://www.southoldhistoricalsociety.org//
Latimer Reef is the oldest cast-iron lighthouse still in service in the Northeast. The spark plug lighthouse in Fishers Island Sound was lit in 1884, automated in 1983 and sold for $225,000 in 2010. The U.S. Coast Guard still continues to maintain the lights. https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=739
Originally lit in 1806, the British seized control of Little Gull Island during the War of 1812 and forced the keeper to extinguish the light. The current Little Gull light was built in 1868. https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=742
Commonly referred to as “Bug Light,” the Long Beach Bar Lighthouse is a cornerstone of local maritime history. The original structure was built in 1870 and earned its nickname because it resembled a giant water bug at high tide. The lighthouse was destroyed by arsonists in the 1960s, but in 1990 it was restored. 631-477-2100 • eastendseaport.org/bug-light
The red brick lighthouse was constructed in 1849 on the north side of Fishers Island and has been helmed by colorful characters through the years. Its keeper was accused of signaling to liquor smugglers during Prohibition. In 1896, the inventor of Segway purchased the property, dubbing it the sovereign “Kingdom of North Dumpling,” according to… https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=740
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