Hudson-Athens Lighthouse
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 Hudson-Athens Lighthouse |
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| Location: | Hudson River, between Athens and Hudson |
|---|---|
| Foundation: | Granite caisson |
| Construction: | Dressed Stone and red brick |
| Year first lit: | 1874 |
| Automated: | 1949 |
| Tower shape: | Square, red brick, granite trim |
| Height: | 46 ft |
| Original lens: | fifth order Fresnel, 1926; currently 300mm light |
| Range: | 4 nautical miles |
| Characteristic: | Green light occulting every 4 sec; Fog bell mechanism at 15 sec intervals |
[edit] Introduction
The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, sometimes called the Hudson City Light, is a lighthouse located in the Hudson River in the state of New York in the United States. Constructed in 1873, it marks a sandy ridge known as Middle Ground Flats and also acts as a general aid to navigation of the river. The station is built on a granite caisson with a unique shape designed to protect it from ice floes and river debris. The dwelling is constructed in the Second Empire architectural style, with a Mansard roof. It is considered to be virtually a twin of the Stepping Stones Light in Long Island Sound, which was constructed just a few years later.
[edit] History
The station's beacon was originally lighted by Henry D. Best, the station's first lightkeeper, on November 14 , 1874.[1] It was upgraded to a fifth-order Fresnel lens in 1926, and the station was fully automated on November 10, 1949.[2] In 1967, the Hudson River Valley Commission, led by Nelson A. Rockefeller, suggested that certain lighthouses owned by the U.S. Coast Guard be turned over to not-for-profit historical groups to ensure their preservation and upkeep. Hudson-Athens was the first station to be tried through such a program, and on February 15, 1984, a 20-year lease was signed between the Coast Guard and the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS).[3] In 2000, title to the station was turned over permanently to HALPS.[4] Today, the Preservation Society conducts occasional tours of the station, which is being restored to its condition as it would have been in the 1930s.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=677
- ^ http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBLIGHTHOUSES/LHNY.html
- ^ http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBLIGHTHOUSES/LHNY.html
- ^ http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=677
Official site of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society
Lighthousefriends.com page on the Hudson-Athens Light
U.S. National Parks Service page on Hudson-Athens
Smithsonian National Museum of American History page on Hudson-Athens
U.S. Coast Guard official listing of light stations in New York State
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