Orient Point Light is a

sparkplug lighthouse A caisson lighthouse (also referred to as a sparkplug lighthouse, or bug light) is a type of lighthouse whose superstructure rests on a concrete or metal caisson. Caisson lighthouses were developed in the late nineteenth century as a cheaper alter ...

off

Orient Point, New York Orient is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York, United States. The CDP's population was 743 at the 2010 census. ''Orient'' and ''Orient Point'' are used almost interchangeably. However, Orient Point ...

in Plum Gut of Long Island Sound – the deep and narrow gap between Orient Point and Plum Island. It was built in 1899 and was automated in 1954. The lighthouse was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 2007. The lighthouse was sold as excess property in 2013, and is owned by artist Randy Polumbo.

History

The

United States Lighthouse Service The United States Lighthouse Service, also known as the Bureau of Lighthouses, was the agency of the United States Government and the general lighthouse authority for the United States from the time of its creation in 1910 as the successor of t ...

placed a daymarker at the site in 1855, announcing that it would be replaced by a beacon, but its completion was delayed by the hardness of the rock and a nighttime collision into the temporary staging by a trading vessel. A stone beacon in the shape of a pyramid with a shaft and iron cage was placed on the rock in 1874, but was carried away by ice in 1896. Construction of a cast-iron caisson tower on the reef began in October 1898 but was halted for a year by stormy weather. Construction began again in the spring, and by September, most of the project was in place. The lamp was lit on November 10, 1899, but the fifth-order Fresnel lens proved to be too weak and was replaced by a fourth order lens on May 1, 1900. A fog signal went into operation of June 1 of that year, and was upgraded in 1905. The lighthouse tower is tall and has six interior decks. A breakwall was added over the next three years to protect the structure, adding 9,000 tons of riprap to the original 803 tons, creating a island that rises from the bottom. Cracks and rust on one side of the tower required additional cast-iron plates to repair, and the additional weight caused the tower to tilt about five degrees out of vertical; possibly assisted by current undermining the foundation on that side as well. The steamship ''Halyoke'' missed hitting the lighthouse on August 30, 1912, when its steering went out. Although the current headed the ship directly at the light, the captain put the engines into full reverse, and the ship ran up on the rock but then backed up. No damage was done to the ship or the lighthouse. On April 5, 1958, the lighthouse was automated, and in 1970 the

Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...

announced its plans to tear it down. Popular sentiment saved the lighthouse from this fate, and the Coast Guard reversed its decision. Instead, repairs were made: additional concrete for the base, and a new coat of paint and epoxy preservative. The lens was replaced in 1988, and additional major repair work took place in 2000, including the installation of solar panels and batteries. In June 2011, the

General Services Administration The General Services Administration (GSA) is an independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. GSA supplies products and communications for U.S. gover ...

made the Orient Point Light, along with 11 others, available at no cost to public organizations willing to preserve them. When no suitable caretaker organization was found, an auction was held in 2011 in which the high bidder failed to provide a required additional deposit; a second auction followed in 2013. The lighthouse was purchased on September 18, 2013, by sculptor Randy Polumbo with a high bid of $252,000. Polumbo, the founder of the eco-construction company Plant, converted part of the lighthouse's interior into an artist's residency he calls "Plum Gut Grotto". According to Polumbo, the lighthouse has structural issues: part of the base is missing, allowing water to seep in.Nalepinski, Kare (December 20, 2019
"Renovated Orient Point lighthouse transformed into artist’s residency"
''Northforker''"Orient Point Lighthouse"
Lighthousefriends.com

In popular culture

The Archives Center at the

Smithsonian National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the items on display is t ...

has a collection (#1055) of souvenir

postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...

s of lighthouses and has digitized 272 of these and made them available online. These include postcards of Orient Point Light with links to customized nautical charts provided by

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...

References

External links

Orient Point "The Coffee Pot" Lighthouse (Long Island Lighthouses)
{{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1899 Houses completed in 1899 Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Lighthouses in Suffolk County, New York Tourist attractions in Suffolk County, New York 1899 establishments in New York (state) National Register of Historic Places in Suffolk County, New York