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Huntington Harbor Lighthouse History
Lloyd Neck Lighthouse:
The original lighthouse for Huntington Harbor was built in 1857 at the end of East
Beach. It was a wooden structure of 11 rooms adjacent to a brick lighthouse tower which housed a 5th Order Fresnel Lens. It existed as an aid to navigation until 1912 when the
Huntington Lighthouse was completed. Although unused after 1912, the Lloyd Light Keepers' house was used through the 1930's as a residence for the Huntington Light Keepers' family. This residence succumbed to a fire in November,1947. |
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Huntington Harbor Lighthouse:
Completed in 1912, and operational in that year, this lighthouse did not have three of the 'modern' conveniences, electricity, indoor plumbing or running water. Life was tough at best and the keeper was at the mercy of the elements. This aid to navigation housed two
lighting devices. One was the 5th Order Fresnel lens, the other was the Argand lamp. The Argand lamp used a tubular wick, where the standard lamps of the time used a flat wick. The Argand lamp produced a brighter light and burned cleaner than a kerosene lamp. The
wick had to be trimmed daily and consumed 3-4 ounces of oil an hour. Another signaling device was a large cast bell, still at the lighthouse. The tower height is 42 feet above the water at high tide, and is a fixed, flashing white light, visible for 9 miles. About 1947, the USCG automated the light and installed a fog horn. Although the lighthouse is still an active navigational aid, the age of the Lightkeeper was coming to an end. This unique Lighthouse is the earliest example of reinforced concrete construction on the East Coast, and was one of the last lighthouses to be built. The earliest concrete lighthouse was built in 1908 at Point Arena, California.
Lighthouse Keepers
Lloyd Neck :
John S Wood: June 1857-August 1857
Abatha Johnson: September 1857-- ?
Robert McGlone: 1888- 1911
Augusta 'Gussie' Harrigan: 1900-1912 ?
Huntington Harbor:
Robert McGlone: (1st Keeper) Feb.1, 1911--Jan.31,1919
John Grimes: Feb. 1, 1919--March 31, 1919
Marvin Burnham: March 31, 1919--Sept.3, 1926
James Galler: Oct.1,1926--March 31,1928
Andrew Zuius: April
1,1928-March 14,1929
Emil J. Brunner: March14,1929--July1, 1930
Joseph Dubois: July
1, 1930--June 30, 1933
Robert L. Howard: July 1,1933--Dec. 31,1935
Arthur (Art) Bouder: January1, 1936--March 31,1938
Louis (Louie) Anderson: 1936,1936 Huntington and
Cold Spring Harbor Lights. Louie was a summer replacement Keeper
(civilian) and is still active in the ongoing restoration
efforts.
Richard J. White: April 1,
1938--June 30, 1942
If you are related to any of these Keepers or have information to
help us fill in the gaps in the history of these two Lighthouses,
please contact us with your stories and/or pictures.
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