Plum Island Light
Encyclopedia
Plum Island Light, also known as Plum Gut Light, is located on the western end of Plum Island
, which lies east
of Orient Point which in turn is at the end of the North Fork
of Long Island
in the US
state of New York
. An historic granite lighthouse originally built in 1869 sits at the
site, but no longer serves as an active aid to navigation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2011. A short distance northwest of the granite lighthouse
building is a 14 feet (4.3 m) metal tower that holds the automated light that has served as an aid to navigation since
the earlier light was decommissioned in 1978.
In 1826 the west end of Plum Island was purchased from Richard Jerome for $90 for the purpose of building a lighthouse.
The following year a 35 feet (10.7 m) high stone tower had been constructed to support the first light. That first light
consisted of ten whale oil lamps with reflectors. The light helped navigation near the entrance to Long Island Sound
,
especially through the "Plum Gut" channel between Orient Point and Plum Island. In 1856 the original lamps and reflectors
were replaced by a sixth-order Fresnel lens
.
By the late 1860s the lighthouse was falling into disrepair. A new 55 feet (16.8 m) tall granite lighthouse building
was constructed and in service by 1869. The structure is of the same design as lighthouses at
Sheffield Island
in Norwalk, Connecticut
; Morgan Point
in
Noank, Connecticut
; Great Captain Island
in Greenwich, Connecticut
,
Old Field Point
in Old Field, New York
;
and Block Island North
on Block Island
Rhode Island.
The sixth order lens from the original lighthouse had been moved to the new building, then it was
changed to a newer fourth-order lens in 1897.
In 1879 Fort Terry
was built on Plum Island. The relations between lighthouse keepers and army personnel
remained congenial for many years, and the keepers could usually purchase food and supplies at the Fort commissary.
But in 1916 an order came down and the keeper at Plum Island Light was informed that purchasing supplies at Fort Terry
was no longer allowed. The rule forced William Chapel, the keeper at the time, to sail over a mile to Orient, or
12 miles to New London
to purchase supplies. Eventually the United States Lighthouse Service
was able to persuade the Army
that lighthouse keepers should once again be allowed to purchase supplies at
army commissaries.
Starting in 1939 the Lighthouse Service duties were taken over by the United States Coast Guard
.
Coast Guard employed keepers were removed from Plum Island in 1978 when the light was automated on a structure built to the side
of the 1869 lighthouse.
In 1994 the Fresnel lens was removed from the lighthouse and moved to
the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport
where it is on display.
Starting in 2000 the East End Lighthouses group (distinct from the Seaport Museum organization) was formed and has
been working since that time with various government agencies to refurbish, and to hopefully eventually relight the
Plum Island light as an active aid to navigation. On April 24, 2007 a resolution was passed by the Town of
Southold
that will transfer ownership of the lighthouse to the town.
The Plum Island Lighthouse, like all of Plum Island, is not open for public visits. The light
may be seen from the water, but landing on the island is restricted to persons authorized by the
United States Department of Homeland Security
(usually those visiting the Plum Island Animal Disease Center
).
s of lighthouses and has digitized 272 of these and made them available online. These include postcards of Plum Island Light with links to customized nautical charts provided by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
Plum Island (New York)
Plum Island is an island in the Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York in the United States. The island is in Gardiners Bay, east of Orient Point, off the eastern end of the North Fork coast of Long Island. It is about long and wide at its widest point...
, which lies east
of Orient Point which in turn is at the end of the North Fork
North Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The North Fork is a 30-mile-long peninsula in the northeast part of Suffolk County, New York, roughly parallel with an even longer peninsula known as the South Fork...
of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. An historic granite lighthouse originally built in 1869 sits at the
site, but no longer serves as an active aid to navigation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2011. A short distance northwest of the granite lighthouse
building is a 14 feet (4.3 m) metal tower that holds the automated light that has served as an aid to navigation since
the earlier light was decommissioned in 1978.
In 1826 the west end of Plum Island was purchased from Richard Jerome for $90 for the purpose of building a lighthouse.
The following year a 35 feet (10.7 m) high stone tower had been constructed to support the first light. That first light
consisted of ten whale oil lamps with reflectors. The light helped navigation near the entrance to Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
,
especially through the "Plum Gut" channel between Orient Point and Plum Island. In 1856 the original lamps and reflectors
were replaced by a sixth-order Fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
.
By the late 1860s the lighthouse was falling into disrepair. A new 55 feet (16.8 m) tall granite lighthouse building
was constructed and in service by 1869. The structure is of the same design as lighthouses at
Sheffield Island
Sheffield Island Light
Sheffield Island Light is an historic Connecticut, USA, lighthouse located at the southern end of the Norwalk Islands on the west entrance of the Norwalk River on northern Long Island Sound....
in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
; Morgan Point
Morgan Point Light
Morgan Point Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Noank, Connecticut, United States, on the west side of the mouth of the Mystic River.-History:In 1831 the original granite tower was built...
in
Noank, Connecticut
Noank, Connecticut
Noank is a village and census-designated place in the town of Groton in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,830 at the 2000 census...
; Great Captain Island
Great Captain Island Light
Great Captain Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Great Captain Island in the western Long Island Sound off the coast of Greenwich, Connecticut, United States...
in Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
,
Old Field Point
Old Field Point Light
Old Field Point Light is a lighthouse within the village of Old Field, New York between the entrances to Port Jefferson Harbor and Stony Brook Harbor on the north shore of Long Island....
in Old Field, New York
Old Field, New York
Old Field is a village of 918 residents in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The Incorporated Village of Old Field is in the town of Brookhaven, on the North Shore of Long Island. It is one of the most affluent communities in the state and is among the wealthiest towns in the United States...
;
and Block Island North
Block Island North Light
Block Island North Light , built in 1867, is a historic lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island .-History:The first light on the site was built in 1829. The current structure at Sandy Point is the fourth lighthouse built on the site and was made of granite and iron in 1867...
on Block Island
Block Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
Rhode Island.
The sixth order lens from the original lighthouse had been moved to the new building, then it was
changed to a newer fourth-order lens in 1897.
In 1879 Fort Terry
Fort Terry
Fort Terry was a coastal fortification on Plum Island, a small island just off Orient Point, New York, USA. This strategic position afforded it a commanding view over the Atlantic entrance to the commercially vital Long Island Sound. It was established in 1897 and used intermittently through the...
was built on Plum Island. The relations between lighthouse keepers and army personnel
remained congenial for many years, and the keepers could usually purchase food and supplies at the Fort commissary.
But in 1916 an order came down and the keeper at Plum Island Light was informed that purchasing supplies at Fort Terry
was no longer allowed. The rule forced William Chapel, the keeper at the time, to sail over a mile to Orient, or
12 miles to New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
to purchase supplies. Eventually the United States Lighthouse Service
United States Lighthouse Service
The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the US Federal Government that was responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all lighthouses in the United States from the time of its creation in 1910 until 1939...
was able to persuade the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
that lighthouse keepers should once again be allowed to purchase supplies at
army commissaries.
Starting in 1939 the Lighthouse Service duties were taken over by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
.
Coast Guard employed keepers were removed from Plum Island in 1978 when the light was automated on a structure built to the side
of the 1869 lighthouse.
In 1994 the Fresnel lens was removed from the lighthouse and moved to
the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport
Greenport, Suffolk County, New York
Greenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....
where it is on display.
Starting in 2000 the East End Lighthouses group (distinct from the Seaport Museum organization) was formed and has
been working since that time with various government agencies to refurbish, and to hopefully eventually relight the
Plum Island light as an active aid to navigation. On April 24, 2007 a resolution was passed by the Town of
Southold
Southold, New York
Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 20,599 at the 2000 census...
that will transfer ownership of the lighthouse to the town.
The Plum Island Lighthouse, like all of Plum Island, is not open for public visits. The light
may be seen from the water, but landing on the island is restricted to persons authorized by the
United States Department of Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
(usually those visiting the Plum Island Animal Disease Center
Plum Island Animal Disease Center
Plum Island Animal Disease Center is a United States federal research facility dedicated to the study of animal diseases. It is part of the DHS Directorate for Science and Technology....
).
Cultural
The Archives Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a collection (#1055) of souvenir postcardPostcard
A postcard or post card is a rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope....
s of lighthouses and has digitized 272 of these and made them available online. These include postcards of Plum Island Light with links to customized nautical charts provided by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.