Huntington Lighthouse Receives $145K To Continue Restoration Work

The Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS) has received a $145,000 matching grant to continue their efforts to restore and preserve the Huntington Lighthouse.

The 105-year old historic lighthouse received the grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, which described the Huntington Lighthouse as a “vital role as a cultural entity, enhancing education and preserving heritage in the community.”

The grant was announced by RDLGF Executive Director Kathryn Curran following a highly competitive review process.

The restoration on the lighthouse began in the fall of 2016. In 2017, construction crews discovered more damage than anticipated when working on the lighthouse foundation, leading to a longer and more expensive journey to restoration. The society's annual Music Fest, the world's largest offshore music festival, has also been canceled this year due to the construction.

However, HLPS says significant progress in restoring the lighthouse has been made.

HLPS president Pam Setchell said this grant will assist with critical foundation repairs on the lighthouse. "Through the incredible friends and neighbors of the lighthouse, matching funds were raised and we are able to engage the contractor to amend the scope of work and finish the serious foundation repairs," she said.

The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been a trusted navigational aid to mariners, a landmark for the community and an educational resource for visitors for more than a century.

“Upon completion of the work, we’re looking forward to once again sharing this beautiful offshore lighthouse for tours and educational groups, as well as the return of the popular Lighthouse Music Fest in 2018," Setchell said.

HLPS has raised more than $740,000 through fundraising efforts, which has helped secure a $250,000 State of New York matching grant.

Additional fundraising lighthouse efforts included a CrowdRise Campaign, a grassroots effort championed by two Wincoma /Huntington Bay residents that raised over $27,000 and a $50,000 anonymous donation to close the gap when the society learned it still needed $180,000 to continue critical foundation repair work.

To make a donation or to learn more about the Huntington Lighthouse, go here.

Image via Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society