Tarrytown Lighthouse

All of the Hudson River lighthouses were designated "family stations," as the keepers and their families lived there year-round. Performing the never-ending chores of lighthouse operation and maintenance, they experienced boredom, danger and tragedy.

The rock-rimmed cast iron tower of the Tarrytown Lighthouse has kept steady vigil over the ebb and flow on the affairs of people and the river for more than a century. The panorama from the bell deck of the lighthouse included maritime evolution.

Tarrytown Lighthouse

When the age of "wooden ships and iron men" closed, oil-fueled vessels with steel hells sent their wakes to lap around the base of the tower. The Tarrytown Lighthouse stood at attention as warships on their way to and from two world wars relied on it for navigation assistance.

The Tarrytown Lighthouse was decommissioned in 1965, after more than three-quarters of a century of service. All of the Hudson River's lighthouses have long since been decommissioned; five of the eight remain standing. The County of Westchester acquired the lighthouse in 1974, in recognition of its historical value. The Tarrytown Lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

On exhibit in the lighthouse are logbooks and chronicles, photographs and furnishings that illustrate what life was like in a lighthouse more than 100 years ago. A variety of nature, historic heritage and river interpretive programs are held at the lighthouse on a monthly basis.