The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Has a Twin
Just off the north shore of Long Island, not far from the Queens border, you’ll find the Stepping Stones Lighthouse. A red brick, Second Empire-style building, standing 46 feet high, it is sure to look familiar to anyone who has seen the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse further upstate.
The two structures are nearly identical, built just a few years apart (Hudson-Athens in 1874, Stepping Stones in 1877). Both lighthouses are on the National Register of Historic Places (Hudson-Athens was listed in 1979, Stepping Stones in 2005). And both lighthouse beacons are managed by the US Coast Guard, while the structures themselves are cared for by nonprofit organizations.
Historic lighthouses present unique restoration challenges, especially when, like these two, they are surrounded on all sides by water. We’ll talk more about the specific issues Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society is tackling in another post. The Stepping Stones Lighthouse is in even worse shape, and unlike HALPS, they cannot host tours. They have estimated that the lighthouse repairs will cost about $4million. This article from 2015 and this one from 2017 go into more detail about their plans to stabilize this historic site.
LighthouseFriends.com provides a fairly comprehensive history of Stepping Stones, including the Native American legend that gave the site its name:
An old Native American legend tells of how the Siwanoy Indians struggled with Habboamoko, the devil, for possession of the area that is now Connecticut. While Habboamoko had many tricks, the Siwanoy, through their own potions and wizardry, were able to back the old devil up against Long Island Sound. Things were looking rather bleak for Habboamoko, until he glanced over his shoulder at low tide toward Long Island and noticed a trail of stepping stones. Wasting no time, he sprightly danced across the rocks and fled to Long Island. So angry at the Siwanoy was Habboamoko that he flung every boulder he could find back across the sound. His aim was not true, but his power was strong, and the boulders were flung as far as Maine, littering New England with rock formations.
Perhaps due to the legend, Colonial maps of the area named Long Island Sound, “Devil’s Belt,” and the collection of rocky reefs at its west end, “Devil’s Stepping Stones.”
Image courtesy of Great Neck Historical Society
We included the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse on this year’s Seven to Save list because we believe it is an important part of New York State history that is worth preserving. We also recognize that it is just one of many historic lighthouses across the state. Many of these sites are in need of repairs and ongoing maintenance to keep them standing. Fundraising is difficult and restoration is expensive. But we believe these sites are important, both in terms of their architectural significance and because of what they mean to their communities. Stepping Stones is just one more example. Is there a historic lighthouse important to you? Send us a note (or maybe a photo)!