Hudson–Athens lighthouse

The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse stands on a granite pier in the Hudson River and has the form of a house with a mansard roof in Second Empire style. This roughly 9-meter-tall structure sits on wooden pilings driven deep into the riverbed.

The lighthouse was built in the 1870s to warn ships away from dangerous shallows. It was long an important landmark for river shipping in this region.

The structure shows how people once kept river shipping safe and serves today as a place to learn about that work. It stands as a symbol of how much care and effort went into guiding boats through difficult waters.

You can only reach the lighthouse by water. Boat tours are regularly offered from the harbors in Hudson and Athens.

The foundation rests on roughly 200 wooden pilings driven into the riverbed. This old technique still protects the building from ice pressure and river currents.

Location: Columbia County

Inception: 1874

Height: 9 m

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson-Athens_Light

GPS coordinates: 42.25199,-73.80874

Latest update: December 12, 2025 12:01