Plum Island Lighthouse

Plum Island Lighthouse stands at the western end of Plum Island, east of Orient and the North Fork of Long Island. The historic lighthouse marks the eastern side of Plum Gut, a broad channel between Plum Island and Orient Point known for powerful tidal currents and challenging navigation.

The lighthouse station was established in 1827, when a stone tower was built to guide vessels approaching the eastern entrance to Long Island Sound. The present lighthouse was constructed in 1869 and first lit in 1870. Although the historic tower is no longer an active navigational light, Plum Island Lighthouse remains an important part of the maritime history of Suffolk County and the East End.

The First Lighthouse on Plum Island

Congress appropriated $4,000 for a lighthouse on Plum Island in 1826. Three acres at the western end of the island were purchased from Richard Jerome for $90, and a 35-foot octagonal stone tower was completed the following year.

The original light consisted of ten whale-oil lamps fitted with reflectors. It helped mariners navigate the entrance to Long Island Sound and the dangerous waters of Plum Gut, where strong currents can make the channel difficult for vessels to pass safely.

Construction of the Present Lighthouse

By the 1860s, the original lighthouse had deteriorated and was no longer considered adequate for the location. A new lighthouse was built in 1869 and placed into service in 1870. The structure consists of a granite keeper’s dwelling with an attached octagonal wooden tower.

The design was similar to several other lighthouse stations built around Long Island Sound, including Old Field Point Lighthouse in Suffolk County. The original sixth-order Fresnel lens from the earlier station was installed in the new lighthouse before being replaced by a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1897.

Lighthouse Keepers and Plum Island

For more than a century, lighthouse keepers and their families lived at Plum Island Lighthouse and maintained the station’s light, buildings and grounds. The isolated location required keepers to depend on boats for transportation and supplies, although they were able to obtain provisions from nearby military facilities during portions of the island’s history.

Plum Island later became home to Fort Terry, a United States Army installation established in the late nineteenth century. The island was subsequently used for military and scientific purposes, and the creation of the Plum Island Animal Disease Center further restricted public access to the island.

Automation and Deactivation

The United States Coast Guard assumed responsibility for the lighthouse station in 1939 when the United States Lighthouse Service was transferred to the Coast Guard. In 1978, the light was automated on a separate modern structure near the historic lighthouse.

The historic Plum Island Lighthouse was then deactivated as an active navigational light. The original Fresnel lens was removed in 1994 and transferred to the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport, where it has been displayed as part of the region’s maritime history.

Historic Designation and Preservation

Plum Island Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. The designation recognizes the lighthouse’s architectural character, its role in navigation and its connection to the military and maritime history of Plum Island.

Preservation groups and local advocates have worked to protect and restore the historic lighthouse. Because Plum Island is federally controlled and access is restricted, preservation efforts must be coordinated with the agencies responsible for the island and its facilities.

Can the Public Visit Plum Island Lighthouse?

Plum Island Lighthouse is not open for ordinary public visits. Access to Plum Island is restricted, and landing on the island generally requires official authorization. Visitors should not attempt to approach the lighthouse or go ashore without specific permission from the responsible federal authorities.

The lighthouse can be viewed from boats traveling near Plum Gut and from authorized viewpoints on the North Fork. Boaters should use caution because the channel is affected by strong tidal currents, shoals and changing conditions. The Orient Point Lighthouse, located across Plum Gut, provides another important landmark associated with navigation in this area.

Plum Island and the North Fork

Plum Island Lighthouse is part of a maritime landscape that includes Orient Point, Gardiners Bay, Long Island Sound and the waterfront communities of the North Fork. Its location reflects the importance of lighthouses in guiding vessels through the narrow channels and tidal waters surrounding eastern Long Island.

Although the island itself is closed to routine tourism, the lighthouse remains visible from the surrounding waters and helps explain the history of the region’s navigation, military installations and working waterfronts. Visitors exploring the North Fork can also learn more about local maritime history at the East End Seaport Museum in Greenport.

---

Plum Island Lighthouse

---

Key Facts & Details

Feature	Details
Official name	Plum Island Light
Common name	Plum Island Lighthouse
Type	Historic lighthouse and former navigational aid
Location	Western end of Plum Island, east of Orient Point
Nearby community	Orient
County	Suffolk County
Waterway	Plum Gut, Gardiners Bay and Long Island Sound
Station established	1827
Original tower	35-foot octagonal stone tower
Original construction cost	$4,000
Land purchase	Three acres purchased in 1826 for $90
Current lighthouse completed	1869
Current lighthouse first lit	1870
Construction materials	Granite keeper’s dwelling with an attached wooden tower
Tower shape	Octagonal
Original light	Ten whale-oil lamps with reflectors
Original lens	Sixth-order Fresnel lens
Later lens	Fourth-order Fresnel lens installed in 1897
Automated	1978
Deactivated	1978
Current status	Historic lighthouse; no longer the active navigational light
Fresnel lens location	East End Seaport Museum in Greenport
Historic designation	Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011
Public access	Island and lighthouse closed to ordinary public access; official authorization required
Coordinates	41.173778, -72.211472
Official historical source	U.S. Coast Guard Historian’s Office
Long Island Lighthouses	How many lighthouses are on Long Island?

Plum Island Lighthouse remains an important historic landmark at the eastern entrance to Long Island Sound. Established in 1827 and rebuilt in 1869, the lighthouse guided mariners through Plum Gut and the surrounding waters for more than 150 years.

Although the lighthouse and Plum Island are not open to ordinary public access, the structure can still be viewed from the water and understood through the maritime history of the North Fork. Its connection to nearby Orient Point Lighthouse, Fort Terry and the East End Seaport Museum makes Plum Island Lighthouse an important part of Suffolk County’s coastal heritage.