Rockland Lake Lighthouse - Rockland, NY
This lighthouse was installed to mark the ice docks for the ice harvesting companies on Rockland Lake. For most of the 19th and early 20th centuries, New York City harvested natural ice from Rockland Lake to cool ice boxes (precursors to electric refrigerators) throughout the city. When demand outgrew the supply, additional companies sprang up in the Kingston, NY area (above the salt line on the Hudson River) and parts north.
The Rockland Lake Lighthouse was built on top of oyster beds. At some point, either from erosion or pressure from the lighthouse, the foundation of the lighthouse began to tip, revealing a steep lean. Deemed to expensive to correct, the winding mechanism that turned the light was merely adjusted to work with the lean.
The Rockland Lake Lighthouse was built on top of oyster beds. At some point, either from erosion or pressure from the lighthouse, the foundation of the lighthouse began to tip, revealing a steep lean. Deemed to expensive to correct, the winding mechanism that turned the light was merely adjusted to work with the lean.
July 7, 1894, "THE NEW LIGHT-HOUSE" Rockland County Times
Work is rapidly progressing on the new lighthouse being constructed in the Hudson River, off Rockland Lake, and it is sixteen feet above water. "It will be a substantial building," said a Government contractor to a Journal reporter yesterday, "as all of the material used is of the very best." It is thought that the lighthouse will be finished in about two mouths, and its entire cost will be $39,000. W. H. Flaherty is the Government contractor for the mason work, and the iron work is furnished by a firm from Cleveland, Ohio.
The structure, when finished, will be a fac-simile of the Tarrytown lighthouse, with the addition of several recent improvements. The caisson, of iron, is 75 feet in circumference and 32 feel deep, and is filled with concrete and cement. The outside structure is all of iron and the inside brick, filled with concrete. Spiles are driven under the caisson, making it secure against the ravages of ice tide and flood. In this respect it differs from the Tarrytown lighthouse. The base is surrounded by rock and stone, making it as substantial as it is possible for a structure to be. The lighthouse and the structure on which it stands will be seven stories high. The diameter of the first story is 18 feet; second story, 17 feet; third story, 10 feet; fourth story, 15 feet; and fifth story, 12 feet; sixth story, the lighthouse proper.
There is at present no lighthouse between those at Tarrytown and Stony Point, and boatmen traveling between those two points are now troubled at times to find their bearings. This will be obviated by the Rockland Lake lighthouse, which will afford them a safe guide on the darkest nights. There are already many applicants with petitions for the position of lighthouse keeper.—Nyack Journal
Rockland County Times, July 7, 1894
The structure, when finished, will be a fac-simile of the Tarrytown lighthouse, with the addition of several recent improvements. The caisson, of iron, is 75 feet in circumference and 32 feel deep, and is filled with concrete and cement. The outside structure is all of iron and the inside brick, filled with concrete. Spiles are driven under the caisson, making it secure against the ravages of ice tide and flood. In this respect it differs from the Tarrytown lighthouse. The base is surrounded by rock and stone, making it as substantial as it is possible for a structure to be. The lighthouse and the structure on which it stands will be seven stories high. The diameter of the first story is 18 feet; second story, 17 feet; third story, 10 feet; fourth story, 15 feet; and fifth story, 12 feet; sixth story, the lighthouse proper.
There is at present no lighthouse between those at Tarrytown and Stony Point, and boatmen traveling between those two points are now troubled at times to find their bearings. This will be obviated by the Rockland Lake lighthouse, which will afford them a safe guide on the darkest nights. There are already many applicants with petitions for the position of lighthouse keeper.—Nyack Journal
Rockland County Times, July 7, 1894
Structural Specifications
The following information is available courtesy the U.S. Lighthouse Society.
STRUCTURE
Year Discontinued: 1923
Disposition: Dismantled 1923 and Replaced by Red Skeletal Tower on a White Tankhouse
Year Tower Established: 1894
Tower Construction Material: CAST IRON
Tower Foundation: CAST IRON/CONCRETE CAISSON
Height of light above mean high water, in feet: 50
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL
Tower Daymark: Black
Fog Signal Building? No
Keeper's Quarters? No
Year Keeper's Quarters: 1894
OPTICS
Active Aid to Navigation? No
Original Optic Type: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Original Lens Installed: 1894
Private Aid: No
USCG Access to Optics: No
STRUCTURE
Year Discontinued: 1923
Disposition: Dismantled 1923 and Replaced by Red Skeletal Tower on a White Tankhouse
Year Tower Established: 1894
Tower Construction Material: CAST IRON
Tower Foundation: CAST IRON/CONCRETE CAISSON
Height of light above mean high water, in feet: 50
Tower Shape: CYLINDRICAL
Tower Daymark: Black
Fog Signal Building? No
Keeper's Quarters? No
Year Keeper's Quarters: 1894
OPTICS
Active Aid to Navigation? No
Original Optic Type: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Original Lens Installed: 1894
Private Aid: No
USCG Access to Optics: No
Keepers
- 1894-1901 - Jonathan A. Miller, Principal Keeper
- Stephen Collyer, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1901-1903 - Stephen Collyer, Principal Keeper
- W.H. Spanburgh, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1903-1907 - August Lorenz, Principal Keeper
- 1903-1904 - Lawrence E. Vettman, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1904-1904 - A. Douglas Hallgren, 1st Assistant Keeper (last keeper at Sandy Hook, temp position at Rockland, then moved on to North Brother Island, 1906-1930)
- 1904-1906 - Ezra L. Kelsey, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1906-1907 - John J. Cook, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1907-1908 - James E. Creed, Principal Keeper
- 1907-1909 - William H. Smith, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1908-1908 - J.H. Spence, Principal Keeper
- William H. Smith
- 1908-1909 - James E. Creed, Principal Keeper
- William H. Smith
- 1909-1912 - H.W. McGovern, Principal Keeper
- 1909-1910 - John J. Sheridan, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1910-1910 - George H. Goodbine, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1911-1912 - Brewster Oldis, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1912-1917 (at least) - Brewster S. Oldis, Principal Keeper
- 1912-? - George F. Stone, 1st Assistant Keeper
- at least 1913-? - William H. Wilcox, 1st Assistant Keeper
- at least 1915-? - James H. Bentley, 1st Assistant Keeper
- at least 1917-? - Robert C. Ridgway, 1st Assistant Keeper
- 1918(at least)-1921 - August F. Biedermann, Principal Keeper
- 1918-at least 1921 - William A. Ackerson, 1st Assistant Keeper
- at least 1939-? - John J. Williamson, Lamp Lighter
