Montauk Point Light, Lighthouse in East Hampton, United States
Montauk Point Light is a lighthouse at the easternmost tip of Long Island standing 34 meters tall. The structure sits on a limestone bluff and is surrounded by grounds that include the restored keeper's house and a museum.
The government authorized construction of this lighthouse in 1792, making it the first built in New York State. It has served as a navigation marker for ships traveling Atlantic waters for over two centuries.
The lighthouse represents maritime tradition on Long Island and draws visitors interested in learning about the region's seafaring heritage. The keeper's house museum tells stories about the lives of lighthouse keepers and their families who lived there.
Visitors can climb a spiral staircase to reach the top and enjoy views across the Atlantic. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the stairs are narrow and somewhat steep.
Coastal erosion threatened to push the structure into the sea during the 1960s until innovative stabilization techniques rescued it from collapse. A textile designer played a key role in developing these lifesaving methods.
Location: East Hampton
Architects: John McComb Jr.
Height: 34 m
GPS coordinates: 41.07097,-71.85709
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:49
Historic lighthouses around the world tell the story of the way ships have been guided for hundreds of years. From the rocky coast of Norway to the cliffs of the Pacific, these towers have helped sailors since ancient times. The Tower of Hercules in Spain has been shining over the sea since the second century. The lighthouse at Cape Hatteras in North Carolina watches over the dangerous sands of the Atlantic with its easy-to-spot black and white stripes. Each lighthouse shows the time and place it was built. Some sit on high cliffs exposed to the wind, like Heceta Head in Oregon, whose light reaches out over the ocean. Others mark important points, like Fanad Head in Ireland, which shows where a fjord begins, or Jeffreys Hook in New York, under the George Washington Bridge. These structures show how builders used their skills to work with the land, the weather, and the materials they had nearby. Today, these towers still light the sea routes and attract visitors curious about their design and history. Whether it’s the limestone at Cape Otway in Australia or the bricks at Cape Bojeador in the Philippines, each lighthouse remains a landmark on the coast and a living link to the sea’s traditions.
Lighthouses tell the history of sailing with their shapes and building styles. Some go back to Roman times, like the Tower of Hercules in Galicia, a structure from the second century still working today. Others are from the Middle Ages, such as the Hook Lighthouse in Ireland, with its six-meter-thick stone walls. Later times left marks on the coast as well. The Kõpu Lighthouse in Estonia was built in 1531, and many from the 19th century can be seen along North American shores. These towers stand in very different places. The Hatteras Lighthouse is easy to spot with its black and white spiral stripes on the North Carolina coast. Peggy's Point rises over granite rocks in Nova Scotia. Further south, the Eclaireurs Lighthouse watches over a small island in the Beagle Channel, near Ushuaia. In Europe, the Lindau Lighthouse has a clock you can see from Lake Constance, while Fanad Head marks the entrance to an Irish fjord. Each one adapts to local conditions, whether it's cliffs, reefs, or harbor entrances.
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