The Friends of Stony Point Battlefield & Lighthouse invite you to travel back in time to the nineteenth-century. Let’s imagine that you have been appointed lighthouse keeper by the United States Light House Establishment. In the days before GPS, you are solely responsible for safely navigating ships around the narrow bend in the Hudson River above Haverstraw Bay.
Every hour, all night long, you must climb up the two ladders into the lantern room to clean the windows and the glass prisms of the light and make sure the lamp is still burning bright. When it is raining, snowing or foggy, you must also walk the steep path down to the fog bell near the river every four hours to rewind the mechanical clock. Still interested in maintaining your post as Keeper of the Stony Point Lighthouse?
The romance of the lighthouse keeper meets the reality of the physical labor involved in keeping the maritime community safe in a slide lecture presented by Scott Craven at 7:30 PM on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Drawing on a wealth of images of 19th and 20th century boats, lighthouses and community life on the river, Craven illuminates the maritime history along the Hudson. He will review the 14 lighthouses that were once used to protect the river, focusing on the 8 that remain today.
Craven will also discuss the many other navigational aides that were part of the US Light House Establishment’s protection in the Hudson River and talk about what is used today to keep commercial traffic flowing smoothly and recreation boaters safe. After the presentation in the museum, Craven will give guided tours of the Stony Point Lighthouse – with its breathtaking views of the Hudson River by moonlight. (Don’t worry, you’ll only have to climb the two ladders once!)
The evening program begins at 7:30 PM, with the gate opening at 7:00 PM.
Admission: $4 adults, $3 seniors and children 10 and older.
This program is not appropriate for children younger than age 10.
The historic site is located at 44 Battlefield Road, accessed from Park Road. off Route 9W in Stony Point.
For more information and directions and to secure your advanced reservation, which is required for this program, please call the site office at 845-786-2521.