Fire Island Light

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Fire Island Light
Fire Island Light
Location:	Fire Island inlet, Long Island
Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS)	40°37′56.8″N, 73°13′06.9″W
Year first lit:	1858
Automated:	1986
Deactivated:	Active, inactive 1974-1986
Foundation:	Granite/timber
Construction:	Brick encased in cement
Tower shape:	Conical tower with four black and white bands
Height:	168 ft (51 m) ^[1]
Original lens:	First order Fresnel 1856
Current lens:	Carlisle & Finch Company
Range:	24 nm
Characteristic:	Flashing White 7.5 seconds.

Fire Island Lighthouse

The Fire Island Light is a visible landmark on the Great South Bay, in southern Suffolk County, New York on the western end of Fire Island, a barrier island off the southern coast of Long Island. The Lighthouse is located with in Fire Island National Seashore and just to the east of Robert Moses State Park.

The current lighthouse is a 167 foot Stone tower that began operation in 1858 to replace the 89 foot tower originally built in 1827. The United States Coast Guard decommissioned the light in 1974. In 1982 the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society (FILPS) was formed to preserve the lighthouse. FILPS raised over $1.2 million to restore the tower and light. On May 25, 1986 the United States Coast Guard returned the Fire Island Lighthouse to an active aid to navigation. On February 22, 2006, the light became a private aid to navigation. It continues to be on the nautical charts, but is operated and maintained by the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society and not the USCG.

It is listed as Fire Island Light, number 695, in USCG light lists.

When the lighthouse was built it was on the edge of Fire Island Inlet and marked the western end of Fire Island. However Fire Island has extended itself through accumulating sand so that the lighthouse is now nearly six miles from the western end of the island at Democrat Point.

1 150 Anniversary
2 Access
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] 150 Anniversary

The lighthouse is celebrating its 150th Anniversary this year. The lighthouse is also celebrating its anniversary this year of the 100th Anniversary of Robert Moses State Park.

[edit] Access

The lighthouse can be accessed by a short walk from Robert Moses State Park (Long Island) - Field 5. It is open to the public daily. Tower tours are availble for a small fee.