Eaton's Neck Lighthouse

Location: East side of Huntington Bay entrance. At the end of Lighthouse Road.

Description: 73 feet, fixed white light, Third Order Fresnel lens, 1000-watt quartz bulb with 150,000 candlepower, octagonal sandstone tower, foundation constructed of brick, sandstone and cement. Lens made by the Henry-Lepaute Company of Paris. Lighthouse originally used four whale oil lamps in the lantern room.

History of light:

• 1798, March 14: $13,250 appropriation for lighthouse made.

• 1798, June 16: 10 acres of land bought from John Gardiner for $500.

• 1798, June 29: Drawings and estimate submitted by John McComb, Jr.

• 1798, July 2: President John Adams signs bill authorizing construction.

• 1798, December 6: Construction completed.

• 1799, January 1: First lit.

• 1837: Inspection found all lights to be defective. Light was only visible seven or eight miles.

• 1838: 12 lamps with 13-inch reflectors installed. 17 mile visibility.

• 1842: Nine-inch reflectors installed.

• 1850: 13 lamps with 15-inch reflectors installed.

• 1858: New lantern and Third Order Fresnel lens installed.

• 1867, March 2: Funds for renovation authorized by Congress.

• 1868: Renovated. Wooden steps replaced with iron steps and landings, walls lined with bricks, keeper's quarters expanded and steam fog signal installed.

• 1880: Renovations to keeper's quarters.

• 1907: Lamp fuel changed from oil to oil vapor. Compressed air siren added.

• 1921: The Long Island Lighting Company agreed to run electric to the area and light was electrified shortly thereafter.

• 1961: Automated.

• 1992: Erosion of waterfront was hastened by 40 feet by a nor'easter.

Current use: Active navigational aid on an active US Coast Guard station.

The surrounding area: Eaton's Neck is northwest of Asharoken and Northport.

Public access? not currently accessible to the public.

Similar Lights: Similar to the Montauk Point light, which was also built by John McComb, Jr. (1763-1853)  two years earlier.

Other information: The keeper's quarters no longer exist, having been replaced Coast Guard housing. This tower holds Long Island's only remaining active Fresnel lens.

Who to Contact: The U.S. Coast Guard at Eaton's Neck does not currently allow access to the site or entertain questions regarding it. For more information on this important historical site, feel free to contact me.

Eaton's Neck Lighthouse on June 13, 1999