Long Island Light Station Nominated For State, National Historic Designation

SETAUKET, NY — The Old Field Point Light Station in Setauket is one of 36 properties across New York that has been nominated to join the list of state and national historic registers, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday.

The light station, which was built around 1824, was the first light tower built at the location, as well as the original keeper’s dwelling, illustrating "both the efforts undertaken by the federal government to enhance maritime safety, as well as the evolution of lighthouse construction," her office said.

The building of a fire tower and separate dwelling is representative of the first era of federally-funded maritime safety measures, according to Hochul's office.

Between 1868 to 1869, the existing lighthouse was constructed after a newer standardized model favoring the keeper’s dwelling and the light itself was housed in the same structure, according to her office.

This model of light station was developed by the federal government after the Civil War and stayed in use until the 1930s, Hochul's office said.

While Old Field Point Light Station is now unmanned and relies on electricity rather than oil, it remains an active lighthouse and works to ensure the safety of boaters on Long Island Sound today, her office said.

Other nominations across the state included a new historic district in Harlem, an industrial manufacturing complex in Poughkeepsie, a grange hall in the North County town of Westport, a medical building in Buffalo, historic districts tied to Rochester’s horticultural roots, and an automobile sales garage in Syracuse.

Hochul said the nominations reflect generations of community building, planning, and activities that give a glimpse into "our collective past as New Yorkers."

“Identifying these resources and adding them to our historic registers expands our ongoing understanding of our shared history and are important reminders of the innovation, passion, and lived experiences of New Yorkers who came before us," she said.