The Sands Point Lighthouse is located in the Incorporated Village of Sands Point in the

Town of North Hempstead North Hempstead is one of three towns in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 237,639 at the 2020 census. History The area was first settled by Europeans around 1643 and became part of the town of Hem ...

, in Nassau County, on the North Shore of

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States. The fourth lighthouse to be established on Long Island, this 1809 stone tower was built by an American Revolutionary War veteran who stayed on as its first keeper for many years.United States Congress allocated funds to renovate the tower and replace the keeper's home stating the house was beyond repair. The tower was extensively renovated and the wooden spiral stairs and windows were replaced with cast-iron versions. The old dwelling was replaced with a new brick dwelling and the old lumber used to build a barn, shed and outhouse.

Deactivation

No longer considered necessary, the Sands Point Lighthouse was deactivated on October 31, 1894. The Lighthouse was quickly reactivated in response to massive local opposition. In December 1922, the Lighthouse was officially deactivated and the light and lantern room were removed from the tower. The beacon was moved to an automated steel skeleton tower located offshore at the end of Sands Point. New York State Governor

Alfred E. Smith Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was an American politician who served four terms as Governor of New York and was the Democratic Party's candidate for president in 1928. The son of an Irish-American mother and a Civ ...

tried to acquire the land to be used as a state park, but was unsuccessful, and in February 1924, socialite

Alva Belmont Alva Erskine Belmont (née Smith; January 17, 1853 – January 26, 1933), known as Alva Vanderbilt from 1875 to 1896, was an American multi-millionaire socialite and women's suffrage activist. She was noted for her energy, intelligence, strong ...

purchased the property at auction for $100,000. Belmont had built a large mansion, Beacon Towers, in 1917 on the plot of land next to the lighthouse. In 1927, the property and lighthouse was again sold, this time to William Randolph Hearst for $400,000. The Hearts lived in the keeper's house and used the mansion for guests. In 1940, he put the property up for sale, and after being unable to find a buyer, surrendered the property to a New York bank to satisfy the mortgage. Also unable to find a buyer for the property, the Bank began to sell parts of the mansion and demolishing it. The property was later sold to a

realtor A real estate agent or real estate broker is a person who represents sellers or buyers of real estate or real property. While a broker may work independently, an agent usually works under a licensed broker to represent clients. Brokers and agen ...

who divided it into lots and built the private residential development that stands there today.

Landmark

The Lighthouse has remained in private ownership. On October 27, 1992, the Village of Sands Point and the Village of Sands Point Landmarks Commission designated the Lighthouse as a village landmark. Over the years, the Lighthouse has been damaged by erosion and by storms. A number of protection methods have also been built, destroyed and rebuilt. The original lighthouse and keeper's house remain in good shape and well preserved by its private owners. Currently, the only view of the lighthouse for visitors is from the water. Today, a skeletal light tower sitting off the Sands Point shore serves the same purpose as the original Lighthouse. On a clear day when approaching the light from the north, the New York City skyline can be seen.

Notes

References

External links

Sands Point Lighthouse
- from Lighthousefriends.com

- at National Lighthouse Museum * {{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1806 Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Historic American Engineering Record in New York (state) Hearst family residences Belmont family residences Town of North Hempstead, New York Long Island Sound Transportation buildings and structures in Nassau County, New York National Register of Historic Places in Nassau County, New York