The Fire Island Lighthouse is a visible landmark located on the Great South Bay, actually a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island. It is part of the Fire Island Light Station which contains the Light, Keepers Quarters, Lens Building containing the original First Order Fresnel Lens, and a boat house. It was an important landmark for transatlantic ships coming into New York Harbor at the turn of the last century. For many European immigrants, the Fire Island Light was their first sight of land upon arrival in America.
The first lighthouse built on Fire Island was completed in 1826. It was a 23m high, cream colored, octagonal pyramid made of Connecticut River blue split stone. Built at the end of the island, adjacent to the inlet, it wasn't effective due to its lack of height; so was taken down and the stone was reused to build the terrace for the present lighthouse. Today a circular ring of bricks and stone are all that remain of the original lighthouse. Due to the westward migration of sand along the beach, known as littoral drift, the inlet is now approximately six miles westward of this site.
A new lighthouse, 55m tall, made of red brick, painted a creamy yellow color, began operation in 1858. It was changed to the present day-mark of alternating black and white bands in 1891. Over the years various fuels were used for the lamps, including whale oil, lard oil, mineral oil and kerosene. Electricity finally reached the lighthouse in 1938. The light was decommissioned in 1974, but in 1982 the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society was formed to preserve it. Four years later the Coast Guard returned the lighthouse to an active aid to navigation, and in 2006, the light became a private aid to navigation.
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