Hudson–Athens Lighthouse
Location | Hudson River, between Athens and Hudson |
---|---|
Coordinates | 42°15′7″N 73°48′31″W / 42.25194°N 73.80861°W |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1874 |
Foundation | Granite caisson |
Construction | Dressed Stone and red brick |
Automated | 1949 |
Height | 46 feet (14 m) |
Shape | Square, red brick, granite trim |
Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
Fog signal | Fog bell mechanism at 15 sec intervals |
Light | |
First lit | 1874 |
Focal height | 15 m (49 ft) |
Lens | fifth order Fresnel, 1926; currently at Mystic Seaport Museum |
Range | 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) |
Characteristic | Green light occulting every 2.5 sec |
The Hudson–Athens lighthouse, sometimes called the Hudson City light, is a lighthouse located in the Hudson River in the state of New York in the United States. The light is located between Hudson and Athens, closer to the Hudson side. Constructed in 1874, it marks a sandy ridge known as Middle Ground Flats and also acts as a general aid to navigation of the river. The station is built on a granite caisson with a unique shape designed to protect it from ice floes and river debris. The dwelling is constructed in the Second Empire architectural style,[4] with a mansard roof. It is considered to be virtually a twin of the Stepping Stones Light in Long Island Sound, which was constructed just a few years later.
History
The station's beacon was originally lighted by Henry D. Best, the station's first lightkeeper, on November 14, 1874.[5] It was upgraded to a fifth-order Fresnel lens in 1926, and the station was fully automated on November 10, 1949.[6] In 1967, the Hudson River Valley Commission, led by Nelson A. Rockefeller, suggested that certain lighthouses owned by the United States Coast Guard be turned over to not-for-profit historical groups to ensure their preservation and upkeep. Hudson–Athens was the first station to be tried through such a program, and on February 15, 1984, a 20-year lease was signed between the Coast Guard and the Hudson–Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS).[6] In 2000, title to the station was turned over permanently to HALPS.[5] Today, the Preservation Society conducts occasional tours of the station, which is being restored to its condition as it would have been in the 1930s.
The Lighthouse was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) as survey number NY-6286. There are 9 architectural drawings available in the survey.[7]
The Hudson–Athens lighthouse is shown on the NOAA Chart 12347.[8]
Chronology
Chronology from USCG web site
- 1872: Congress of U.S. approves $35,000.00 to build the light.
- 1873–1874: Light was constructed.
- 1874, November 14: Light was put into operation with Henry D. Best as the first keeper.
- 1949, November 10: The light was automated.
- 1940s: Electricity was installed.
- 1967: Nelson A. Rockefeller established the Hudson River Valley Commission, which suggested the USCG deed over or lease lighthouse facilities to public or not-for-profit groups for maintenance and preservation.
- 1982: Hudson–Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed.
- February 15, 1984: A 20-year lease between the Lighthouse Preservation Society and the USCG was signed. This was the first lease of its kind.
- 2002: Occasional tours are available to the public through the Lighthouse Preservation Society
Cultural
The Archives Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a collection (#1055) of souvenir postcards of lighthouses and has digitized 272 of these and made them available online. These include postcards of Hudson–Athens Light[9] with links to customized nautical charts provided by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Hudson-Athens lighthouse is featured in the book Curious Constructions - A Peculiar Portfolio Of Fifty Fascinating Structures by Michael Hearst. [10]
References
- ^ ARLHS World List of Lights
- ^ Light List, Volume I, Atlantic Coast, St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ Sheila Buff (2008). Insiders' Guide to the Hudson River Valley. Globe Pequot. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7627-4438-1.
- ^ a b Hudson (Hudson–Athens) Lighthouse, New York at Lighthousefriends.com
- ^ a b "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: New York". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01.
- ^ "Hudson-Athens Lighthouse (drawings)". Historic American Buildings Survey. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
- ^ NOAA Chart 12347
- ^ Smithsonian lighthouse postcards Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ https://books.google.com/books/about/Curious_Constructions.html?id=WxImDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button
External links
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. NY-6286, "Hudson–Athens Lighthouse, Hudson River, Athens, Greene County, NY", 9 measured drawings
- Official site of the Hudson–Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society
- Lighthousefriends.com page on the Hudson–Athens Light
- U.S. National Park Service page on Hudson–Athens
- Coast Guard list of Lighthouses
- Coast Guard list of assets
- Hudson Lights
- National Park Service's Maritime Heritage Program's Inventory of Historic Light Stations
- National Park Service's Maritime Heritage Program's Inventory of NY Historic Light Stations
- Lighthouses completed in 1874
- Houses completed in 1874
- Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state)
- Historic American Buildings Survey in New York (state)
- Landmarks in New York (state)
- Hudson, New York
- Hudson River
- Transportation buildings and structures in Columbia County, New York
- National Register of Historic Places in Columbia County, New York