Rondout Lighthouse

A
very
sturdy
lighthouse
The first lighthouse built in this area was back in 1838. The ship traffic was increasing dramatically as steamboats became more popular and a lighthouse was definitely needed.
Unfortunately the wooden structure wasn’t up to the massive ice floes and storms that hammer this area and was soon in very poor condition. So a new and much stronger lighthouse was built with stone and reinforced concrete pilings. Over the years the ice once again proved too much for even this stronger light.
Parts were removed and brought over to the Bristol lighthouse in Rhode Island and eventually the rest of the second lighthouse was demolished in 1953.
In 1915 a third and even stronger lighthouse was built. It had a 4^th order Fresnel Lens, a 1,000 pound fog bell and stood over 48 feet high. It served the shipping of the area well for decades.
It was automated in 1954 but even this light took a pounding for the storms, cold and massive ice floes and was eventually abandoned and left to the wind, ice and elements.
Fortunately a group of lighthouse lovers decided to do something about it and started a restoration project in 1984 and rebuilt and furnished the light and house to it’s 1930 look. They certainly did a lovely job and the light is now as in excellent condition.
The lighthouse is presently a museum and tours go out there on occasion to give a glimpse of what it was like living in a lighthouse surrounded by water. An impressive lighthouse that will continue to please and educate people for a long, long time.