Cold Spring Harbor Light

July 23, 2019
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Cold Spring Harbor Light, Long Island, New York

COLD SPRING HARBOR LIGHT

RELOCATED TO LONG ISLAND/ORIG. ON POINT OF SHOAL; ENTRANCE TO COLD SPRING HARBOR
Station Established: 1890
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1890
Operational? NO
Automated? UNK
Deactivated: 1965
Foundation Materials: CAST IRON/CONCRETE CAISSON
Construction Materials: ORIG. WOOD
Tower Shape: SKELETAL/ORIG. SQUARE PYRAMIDAL
Height:  35-FOOT TOWER ON A CAISSON, 44 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL
Markings/Pattern: ORIG. WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: INTEGRAL
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Characteristics: Fixed red light

Historical Chronology:

  • 1875, March 3:  $20,000 was appropriated for the construction of the light.
  • 1889  Construction of the light was started.
  • 1890  The finished lighthouse was built on a caisson in Cold Spring Harbor.
  • 1890, January 31:  The light was first lit.
  • 1919:  An inspection of the light revealed $12,800 in damage was done to the light by ice.
  • 1929:  The light was refitted with an oil vapor lamp.
  • 1965:  The light was deactivated and moved to private property.  A local resident saved the light from destruction by purchasing the light for $1 and moving it to her property where the light still resides.

Chronology was researched and written by Diane Hackney.