7 Montauk Lighthouse and the Walking Dunes
Montauk Point Lighthouse and the Fresnel Lens
by Caitlin Brislin
Shore Signs of Trouble
Built in 1796, the Montauk Point Lighthouse sits roughly 160 feet above sea level and is 110 feet tall. It was built on the furthest point east of Long Island as a way to direct ships around the body of land and to New York City. The lighthouse’s location on the eastmost point of Long Island means that unlike the Fire Island lighthouse that we visited last week, there is no barrier of protection against erosion from the waves. Additionally, in the years since the lighthouse was built, erosion has caused the tower to move from 297 feet away from the bluff to 95 feet.
The causes of this erosion include storm waves, rain, groundwater flow, and groundwater seepage. Storm waves cause the soil above the bluff to fall, causing a loss of plant life, whose roots had helped kept the sediment in place from groundwater flow. Groundwater sinks through the sand to follow the layer of clay that lays underneath. It carries the remaining particles of soil with it. This weakens the bluff and causes it to collapse.
Giorgina Reid helped to raise support for the restoration of the bluff with the goal of protecting the lighthouse from falling into the ocean due to erosion. She introduced the step system, which allowed water to runoff into the ocean and stabilized the soil. This was done by creating horizontal steps on the bluff. Layers of natural materials like stones are then placed on the steps. This seawall took 21 months to complete and cost an estimated 44 million to complete.
A Beacon of Isolation
by Lucy DeWitt
On Friday, October 17th, our MAR 355 class took a trip out to Montauk to visit one of Long Island’s iconic landmarks. Standing on the easternmost tip of Long Island, the Montauk Lighthouse has long served as both a navigational aid and a symbol of irony. Montauk is a part of the Town of East Hampton, which also includes the villages of Sag Harbor, Wainscott, East Hampton, Springs, and Amagansett. Compared to its neighboring villages, Montauk was settled much more slowly, largely due to its harsh environment: strong, ever-changing winds, rocky shallows, and an unpredictable coastline. Historically, the area was used as cattle grounds by surrounding communities and is home to the oldest cattle ranch in the United States, which is still active today. The first settled dwelling was built in 1744 to house those responsible for tending to the animals. There wasn’t much to the area beyond “First House,” “Second House,” and “Third House” (yes, very original names for the first homes). Even after settlement began to expand, Montauk remained apart from other communities, and its residents were defined by their isolation.
Yet, in 1792, George Washington recognized the strategic importance of Montauk’s location and commissioned a lighthouse to be built there. To the west, New York City was quickly becoming a global trade hub for the developing United States of America. The lighthouse would serve as a way to guide ships and sailors to the bustling New York Harbor. Beyond its use as a navigational tool, Montauk Lighthouse became a symbol of safety and a welcome to those arriving from afar.
That duality, the isolation of Montauk and its vital role in connecting others, still defines the area today. The Long Island Rail Road didn’t reach Montauk until late into the nineteenth century, reinforcing its disconnect from other communities. Yet the lighthouse continues to be one of the most important maritime landmarks in New York State. It is both a beacon and a paradox: a symbol of connection built by a community that has always lived just beyond the reach of the world it helped guide others towards.
To anyone just passing through, the Montauk Lighthouse probably seems like, well, just a lighthouse. But when you look at the history and the surrounding community, it is hard not to see the irony, a physical beacon of connection in one of the most isolated corners of Long Island.
Additional sources:
Osmers, H. (2023, May 22). Lost Montauk. Montauk Historical Society. https://montaukhistoricalsociety.org/lost-montauk-may-2023/.
Montauk's Military History
by Caitlin Brislin
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| The Montauk Point lighthouse, pictured above, was commissioned by George Washington in 1792. This was the first lighthouse in New York state and the fifth lighthouse built in the United States. Montauk Point lighthouse was historically important as it helped guide merchant ships to New York City, the center of commerce in the newly formed U.S. |
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| The photo above shows the Fresnel lens that is located at the top of the Montauk Point lighthouse. This lens is a 3 ½ order Fresnel lens that was originally installed in 1903, replacing the former 1st order lens when its clockwork mechanism broke. In 1987, this lens was taken down by the Coast Guard when they left the Montauk Point lighthouse. The lens pictured above was reinstalled in 2023 as part of a pilot program with the Coast Guard to study the impact of the atmosphere on Fresnel lenses. |
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| The lens pictured above looks a little different from the first image. This lens is made with red glass to distinguish the lighthouse from others, but also to guide returning ships in the right direction. The saying “red, right, return” refers to keeping red buoys on the right, or starboard, side of a boat when returning to land. Similarly, the red lens, which projected red light, helped orient returning seamen in the dark. |
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| The image above gives visitors a peek inside a small-scale Fresnel lens. A light bulb is placed at the center of the lens, and the surrounding panes of glass reflect and refract the light into a steady horizontal beam. The Fresnel lens was invented by Augustin Jean Fresnel, a French physicist, in 1822, which revolutionized the lighting systems for lighthouses around the world. |
Shore Signs of Trouble
by Vivian Taylor
Built in 1796, the Montauk Point Lighthouse sits roughly 160 feet above sea level and is 110 feet tall. It was built on the furthest point east of Long Island as a way to direct ships around the body of land and to New York City. The lighthouse’s location on the eastmost point of Long Island means that unlike the Fire Island lighthouse that we visited last week, there is no barrier of protection against erosion from the waves. Additionally, in the years since the lighthouse was built, erosion has caused the tower to move from 297 feet away from the bluff to 95 feet.
The causes of this erosion include storm waves, rain, groundwater flow, and groundwater seepage. Storm waves cause the soil above the bluff to fall, causing a loss of plant life, whose roots had helped kept the sediment in place from groundwater flow. Groundwater sinks through the sand to follow the layer of clay that lays underneath. It carries the remaining particles of soil with it. This weakens the bluff and causes it to collapse.
Giorgina Reid helped to raise support for the restoration of the bluff with the goal of protecting the lighthouse from falling into the ocean due to erosion. She introduced the step system, which allowed water to runoff into the ocean and stabilized the soil. This was done by creating horizontal steps on the bluff. Layers of natural materials like stones are then placed on the steps. This seawall took 21 months to complete and cost an estimated 44 million to complete.
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| A photograph displayed in the museum section of the lighthouse displaying what the area looked like in 1968. Boulders can be seen placed along the bluff. These were placed in 1942 by the Army Corp of Engineers prior to the efforts by Giorgina Reid. |
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| Diagram of what the lighthouse and surrounding area looked like in 1796. This model was created by Lester Associates Inc. in West Nyack, NY. It shows the land as it was before the erosion occurred that would have eventually caused the lighthouse to fall into the sea. |
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| Photo of eroded bluff as it is currently. This photo shows the level of erosion that’s occurred over the years. |
A Beacon of Isolation
by Lucy DeWitt
On Friday, October 17th, our MAR 355 class took a trip out to Montauk to visit one of Long Island’s iconic landmarks. Standing on the easternmost tip of Long Island, the Montauk Lighthouse has long served as both a navigational aid and a symbol of irony. Montauk is a part of the Town of East Hampton, which also includes the villages of Sag Harbor, Wainscott, East Hampton, Springs, and Amagansett. Compared to its neighboring villages, Montauk was settled much more slowly, largely due to its harsh environment: strong, ever-changing winds, rocky shallows, and an unpredictable coastline. Historically, the area was used as cattle grounds by surrounding communities and is home to the oldest cattle ranch in the United States, which is still active today. The first settled dwelling was built in 1744 to house those responsible for tending to the animals. There wasn’t much to the area beyond “First House,” “Second House,” and “Third House” (yes, very original names for the first homes). Even after settlement began to expand, Montauk remained apart from other communities, and its residents were defined by their isolation.
Yet, in 1792, George Washington recognized the strategic importance of Montauk’s location and commissioned a lighthouse to be built there. To the west, New York City was quickly becoming a global trade hub for the developing United States of America. The lighthouse would serve as a way to guide ships and sailors to the bustling New York Harbor. Beyond its use as a navigational tool, Montauk Lighthouse became a symbol of safety and a welcome to those arriving from afar.
That duality, the isolation of Montauk and its vital role in connecting others, still defines the area today. The Long Island Rail Road didn’t reach Montauk until late into the nineteenth century, reinforcing its disconnect from other communities. Yet the lighthouse continues to be one of the most important maritime landmarks in New York State. It is both a beacon and a paradox: a symbol of connection built by a community that has always lived just beyond the reach of the world it helped guide others towards.
To anyone just passing through, the Montauk Lighthouse probably seems like, well, just a lighthouse. But when you look at the history and the surrounding community, it is hard not to see the irony, a physical beacon of connection in one of the most isolated corners of Long Island.
Additional sources:
Osmers, H. (2023, May 22). Lost Montauk. Montauk Historical Society. https://montaukhistoricalsociety.org/lost-montauk-may-2023/.
by Eily Montenegro
After walking along the revetment surrounding the lighthouse, Dr. Rider had us sit along the rocks to talk about some of the local history. Montauk was a very isolated location well into the 20th century, making it ideal for the location of two military camps: Camp Hero and Camp Wikoff. The area around Montauk Point had been utilized by the military for various training activities during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, World War I, and World War II.
The first camp we discussed was Camp Wikoff, established in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. More men were dying from disease than from bloodshed from this war. The climate of Cuba allowed for diseases like yellow fever and dysentery to run rampant since it is hot and humid there. In response, Camp Wikoff was established to treat the diseased men returning from war. The location was selected due to its isolation from others, but also its relative proximity to the city, making it also close enough to acquire resources needed. In addition, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) was just recently extended out towards Montauk, allowing nurses to travel to and from the site as well as allowing cured soldiers to leave. Since many soldiers were brought in by ship, the trains leaving from Montauk had significantly more passengers than the trains running towards Montauk.
The second camp we discussed– and the more famous one– was Camp Hero, established in 1942, originally called Fort Hero. It served as a coastal artillery base to prevent Germans attacking America during World War II. It was built with a disguise to resemble a typical fishing village from the air, with roofs having fake buildings painted along it such as church steeples and bell towers. While no invasions ended up occurring, the base had plenty of guns and other defensive weapons to delay invasions for two days. In 1952, the site was renamed Montauk Air Force Station and was occupied by the 773`d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (ACWS). During the Cold War, in 1960, a radar tower was built out of fear that Russia would fire missiles. The radar tower was operational until 1980 and apparently sent out a short buzzing noise every minute to nearby radio consoles. In 1984 all land of the site was transferred to the state, local, and federal agencies. The site is now used as a state park and veterans retreat.
Camp Hero is well known locally as the inspiration for the Netflix show, Stranger Things. The show was originally titled “Montauk,” based on The Montauk Project, the top secret research project conducted there. Many conspiracy theories developed around this, including communications with aliens, opening portals, and mind control experiments. One interesting theory claims that there was an attempt to make ships invisible to radar towers, which was technically successful. The USS Eldridge “vanished” from existence, not just from radar towers, for either several minutes or years (depending on the source) before reappearing and many soldiers were found with their flesh and bone fused into the ship's metal. There are plenty of other stories online about portals to hell, drug experiments, superpowers, and aliens that can be found with a quick google search!
Outside Sources:
1. https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-Topics/Camp-Hero-FUDS-Montauk-New-York/
2. https://arrts-arrchives.com/campwikoff.html
3. https://www.danspapers.com/2023/02/inside-camp-hero-montauk-military-past/
4. https://onmontauk.com/2020/05/23/elementor-23599/
After walking along the revetment surrounding the lighthouse, Dr. Rider had us sit along the rocks to talk about some of the local history. Montauk was a very isolated location well into the 20th century, making it ideal for the location of two military camps: Camp Hero and Camp Wikoff. The area around Montauk Point had been utilized by the military for various training activities during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, World War I, and World War II.
The first camp we discussed was Camp Wikoff, established in 1898 after the Spanish-American War. More men were dying from disease than from bloodshed from this war. The climate of Cuba allowed for diseases like yellow fever and dysentery to run rampant since it is hot and humid there. In response, Camp Wikoff was established to treat the diseased men returning from war. The location was selected due to its isolation from others, but also its relative proximity to the city, making it also close enough to acquire resources needed. In addition, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) was just recently extended out towards Montauk, allowing nurses to travel to and from the site as well as allowing cured soldiers to leave. Since many soldiers were brought in by ship, the trains leaving from Montauk had significantly more passengers than the trains running towards Montauk.
The second camp we discussed– and the more famous one– was Camp Hero, established in 1942, originally called Fort Hero. It served as a coastal artillery base to prevent Germans attacking America during World War II. It was built with a disguise to resemble a typical fishing village from the air, with roofs having fake buildings painted along it such as church steeples and bell towers. While no invasions ended up occurring, the base had plenty of guns and other defensive weapons to delay invasions for two days. In 1952, the site was renamed Montauk Air Force Station and was occupied by the 773`d Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (ACWS). During the Cold War, in 1960, a radar tower was built out of fear that Russia would fire missiles. The radar tower was operational until 1980 and apparently sent out a short buzzing noise every minute to nearby radio consoles. In 1984 all land of the site was transferred to the state, local, and federal agencies. The site is now used as a state park and veterans retreat.
Camp Hero is well known locally as the inspiration for the Netflix show, Stranger Things. The show was originally titled “Montauk,” based on The Montauk Project, the top secret research project conducted there. Many conspiracy theories developed around this, including communications with aliens, opening portals, and mind control experiments. One interesting theory claims that there was an attempt to make ships invisible to radar towers, which was technically successful. The USS Eldridge “vanished” from existence, not just from radar towers, for either several minutes or years (depending on the source) before reappearing and many soldiers were found with their flesh and bone fused into the ship's metal. There are plenty of other stories online about portals to hell, drug experiments, superpowers, and aliens that can be found with a quick google search!
Outside Sources:
1. https://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Missions/Projects-Topics/Camp-Hero-FUDS-Montauk-New-York/
2. https://arrts-arrchives.com/campwikoff.html
3. https://www.danspapers.com/2023/02/inside-camp-hero-montauk-military-past/
4. https://onmontauk.com/2020/05/23/elementor-23599/
The Lighthouse on the Cliff and the Iron Dunes
by Lawrence Pak
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| View of the Montauk Point Lighthouse alongside our MAR 355 class. This lighthouse is the first ever lighthouse built in New York City and the fifth one built in the United States. It towers 110 feet at Montauk Point, placing it as the second tallest lighthouse in New York behind the Fire Island Lighthouse. |
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| These two spear shaped objects are depictions of stages of the toggle harpoon that’s displayed in the Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum. Invented in 1848 by African-American blacksmith Lewis Temple, this type of harpoon dramatically improved whale hunting success. It works by acting as a regular harpoon when entering the whale (as seen in the first harpoon) and then the tip rotates when the harpoon is pulled by the whale (shown in the second harpoon). |
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| This is one of the many entrances to Napeague Harbor. The formation of this bay was caused by the deposition of sediment by littoral drifts from the Amagansett, Promised Land, and Hither Hills State Park landforms thousands of years ago. Napeague Harbor’s geolocation allows wind to come from all sides of the area, making this bay particularly popular for windsports such as windsurfing or kitesurfing. |
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| You may be wondering what contributes to the red coloration of the sand found along the shorelines and dunes of Napeague Harbor and the answer is… iron! There exists a layer underneath the sand that has iron-rich sediments and gets revealed when the above sand gets swept away from wind. If you decide to come to Napeague Harbor, be sure to take a magnet with you, you may be surprised at how much iron you can pick up! |
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