History

Montauk Lighthouse

Fact Sheet

• Authorized by President George Washington in 1792.
• First lighthouse in New York State.
• Fourth oldest, active lighthouse in the United States.
• Foundation is 13' deep and 9' thick.
• Constructed of sandstone blocks from Connecticut, 8" high and varying in length from 18" to 44".
• The walls are 6' thick at the base tapering to 3' thick at the top.
• The height of the tower is 110'6".
• There are 137 iron steps to the top of the tower.
• The light rotates every 5 seconds and can be seen at a distance of 19 nautical miles.
• The current light is equivalent to two million five hundred thousand candle power.
• Dsignated in 2012 as a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior and the National Parks Service.

For information about tours and special events, see http://www.montauklighthouse.com/ or call 516-668-2544.