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Long Island Lighthouse Gains National Landmark Status

One of New York's oldest lighthouses dating to the days of George Washington, was awarded National Landmark status. The Montauk Point Lighthouse dating from 1796 has
been a mariners beacon on the East End of Long Island, about one hundred miles from New York Harbor.

According to historians, the lighthouse was vital for the early American Republic's trade from the 1790 until 1870.

"We’re already on the list of historic places," stated Eleanor Ehrhardt, a member of the Montauk Lighthouse Committee. "But a national landmark is far more prestigious,"
she told the Sag Harbor Express newspaper.

The National Parks Service Landmarks Committee approved the bid which was subsequently approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was instrumental in the process to issue the national landmark status. "The Montauk Point Lighthouse has a rich history and continues to serve as a vital navigation feature to this day," she wrote.

The Montauk Lighthouse has been a beacon for transatlantic trade since the 18th century and certainly deserves to be recognized as a National Landmark.