Monday, February 18, 2008

US - Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse

Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse, New York City, United States
The lighthouse was erected in 1880 as the North Hook Beacon at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, where it stood until 1917. It was reconstructed in 1921 in its current location by the United States Bureau of Lighthouses as part of a project to improve Hudson River navigational aids, and was in operation until 1947.

The proposed dismantling of the lighthouse in 1951 resulted in a public outcry, largely from fans of Swift's book, leading to the preservation of the lighthouse by the City of New York/Parks & Recreation. The lighthouse is now a New York City landmark (New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission) and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are tours on an infrequent basis, especially on the Little Red Lighthouse Festival day in mid-September and Open House New York day in October. - Wikipedia




Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse - New York City





'The Little Red Lighthouse'



Here is the book that made this lighthouse famous:



The Jeffrey's Hook lighthouse, erected in 1880 and moved to its current site in 1921, has become widely known as the children's literary landmark, "The Little Red Lighthouse." The story of the lighthouse in Fort Washington Park was popularized by the children's book The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge, by Hildegarde H. Swift with illustrations by Lynd Ward, published in 1942. In this fictional account of Jeffrey's Hook lighthouse, the structure was presented as a symbol of the significance of a small thing in a big world. The lighthouse became a celebrated "child's landmark," representing importance and permanence, after the proposed removal of the lighthouse in 1951. The public outcry of children and their allies prompted the preservation of the structure through its transfer to the jurisdiction of the City of New York/Parks & Recreation. - New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
You could say that the book saved the lighthouse, and we are all better off for it!

Little Red Lighthouse - Wikipedia

Jeffrey's Hook Lighthouse, Fort Washington Park - NY Dept of Parks

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Saturday, February 16, 2008

US - Execution Rocks Lighthouse

Execution Rocks Lighthouse, United States

I have sailed past this light many times both during the day and at night.

Possible Origin of the Name:
The name of this reef is reported to be due to a British practice during the Revolutionary War of killing prisoners on the reef by chaining them to the rocks and allowing the high tide to drown them (no one knows how true that may be). Prior to 1850, there had been lights on this reef, but none were official or reliable. The original structure was designed by architect Alexander Parris. This light is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. - Long Island Lighthouses




Execution Rocks Lighthouse is a large lighthouse in Long Island Sound, north of Sands Point. It stands 55 feet tall, with a flashing white light interval of 10 seconds. Built of granite, the tower is painted white with a brown band around its midsection. Beside it stands a stone keeper's house, no longer inhabited since the beacon became automated.

The lighthouse's site got its name before the American Revolutionary War. British colonial authorities executed people by chaining them to the rocks at low tide, allowing the rising water to drown them. - Wikipedia


Google Images: "Execution Rocks"

Execution Rocks Lighthouse - Wikipedia


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