Imagine my surprise when a see a thread dedicated to one of my favorite lights!

The Cedar Island light is a beauty, alright. Too bad its in such a state of disrepair. Allow me to give some background info on this light (you'll find more on my web site)...

Before the construction of the first real lighthouse on Cedar Island in 1839, stake lights were put on the island to help direct whaling ships returning to Northwest Harbor in the town of Sag Harbor.

On March 3, 1837, Congress appropriated $1000 for the construction of a lighthouse on the island. Another $2500 was appropriated on July 7, 1838 to provide enough money.

In August of 1838, the town of East Hampton agreed to sell the three-acre island to the government for $200. This was recorded in the "Suffolk County Record of deeds" by Assistant Clerk Ezra L. Hommidieu (LI light fans should know that name) on December 7, 1838 at 6PM.

A wooden structure was built in 1839 approximately 130-150 feet northeast of the present structure. In 1855, the nine lamps with 14 inch reflectors were replaced by a sixth order Fresnel lens.

On March 2, 1867, Congress appropriated $25,000 for the construction of a new light. In 1869, the present L-shaped granite structure, quite similar in plan to the upstate Saugerties light, was completed. The granite came from either MA or VT (I'm still working on that). The new light, which cost $24,992.62 to build, was given a fifth order Fresnel lens.

In 1882, a fog signal was established at the station. By 1885, the island was down to 1 1/2 acres due to erosion. In 1899, new lamps were installed inside the Fresnel lens.

By the turn of the century, the island was down to about an acre in size, and from 1903 through 1906, thousands of tons of riprap were dumped to help stop the erosion.

The lighthouse was decommissioned and replaced by a skeletal structure in 1934. A survey of the island in 1936 shows that the island was down to .947 acres and that "the size and shape of island is continually changing as a result of erosion and accretion." The high water line was halfway across the base of the structure at this time. This was remedied by the infamous 1938 hurricane which turned the island into a peninsula.

The property changed hands several times before it became Suffolk County parkland in 1967. In 1974, the lighthouse interior and roof were destroyed by a fire. The fire was not caused by vandals, as reported in 1987 by Harlan Hamilton and in 1989 by Newsday. The fire was the result, ironically, of the welding of steel plates by park workers in the doorways and windows of the structure with the hope of keeping vandals out.

In the late 1980's, a restoration effort failed, reportedly due to infighting. Today, the light stands in need of restoration. Personally, I find it disgraceful that a town such as Sag Harbor, which is quick to boast of its maritime heritage, has made no effort to save this light.

I'm hoping that my efforts on my web site and book will help to get another restoration project going. This light deserves it.

If you get the chance, visit this light. Thanks for listening and allowing me to practice my narration for the June 5 East End Seaport lighthouse cruise.

Bob Muller
Stony Brook, NY
wildbird99@aol.com
www.longislandlighthouses.com