7 Montauk Lighthouse and Walking Dunes
The Tale of the End: A Brief History of Montauk Point 
It’s amazing to be a fisherman from the island and be able to see the history and growth of the sport in what many people in the northeast consider to be the mecca of fishing. There’s pictures of the first bluefin tuna ever caught off of Montauk in 1949, caught by Dan and Kelly Topping who were part owners of the New York Yankees. 
There’s tons of fishing artifacts there, old Marlin harpoons, whale harpoons, pictures of early surfcaster beach buggys, pictures of local docks such as Star Island Marina, that remain under the same name today, filled with locals awaiting the return of boats said to have been in possession of record size catches. One such picture is the crowd awaiting the return of Montauk legend Frank Mundus. Mundus was a shark fisherman and is famous for his record breaking white sharks weighing over 4,500lbs. He would advertise his charter services as monster catching as the size of shark he would bring to the scales were monstrous considering the equipment they had and time of history it was all taking place. Pictures of Mundus and his catches are still on display in local marinas, bars, and museums of the area. Perhaps most famous about Mundus is him being largely the inspiration for a character named Quint in Peter Benchley's novel “Jaws”. 
It’s amazing to see the community of Montauk and how fishing plays such a large part in the area's history, both commercially and recreationally.
Where is our shore going?
by James Callaghan
There is a place at the easternmost point of Long Island in East Hampton, New York known as Montauk Point. It is called The End by locals since after Montauk Point there is only the Atlantic Ocean. While this area is very picturesque and the atmosphere is very laid back, making for an awesome get away spot; these aren't the only reasons to be interested in this part of Montauk Point. The historical significance of Montauk Point is another very good reason to visit this very breathtaking sight.
The Montauk Lighthouse was a very important structure that was created in 1796 after being requested by the then President of the infant United States. It was very important as a navigational guide to warn sailors that they were close by to the rocky and dangerous shores on Montauk Point. It also signaled to the various ships that passed by that they must either turn towards the south shore towards the ports, or towards the sound and either Connecticut or fisheries. This was its purpose for over a century, and much of the land it was on was developed and used for cattle and livestock farming. There were a few additions onto the lighthouse that made it more agreeable to live in, the main house at the base in 1860, and then other buildings that since fell into the ocean due to erosion in 1903. In 1899, it got a fresh coat of paint, one including a new band of red paint around the center to both distinguish it from other lighthouses that had been built since, and to make it much more visible to ships in the daytime. Then in 1941, after being electrified in 1938, the lighthouse was taken over by the US Coastguard as a defensive point during World War 2. Another building, a naval surveillance tower, was added during this time. It remained under their control until 1986 when the Montauk Historical Society took over the stewardship and care of the lighthouse. To this day it has remained under the ownership and care of the MHS and has seen many projects started and finished in efforts to restore the lighthouse and to protect the land around it from further erosion.
Works cited
Osmers, H. (2008). Chapter 4. In On Eagle's Beak: A History of the Montauk Point Lighthouse (pp. 109–128). essay, Outskirts Press, Inc.
United States Coast Guard U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Montauk Point Lighthouse, Montauk Point State Park, eastern point of Long Island, Montauk, Suffolk County, New York. Montauk Point Lighthouse. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Assets/Land/All/Article/1963396/montauk-point-lighthouse/.
Cohen, L. S. (2019). Montauk Point Lighthouse. History: Old Time Photos of Montauk. Long Island Media, Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.longisland.com/news/10-23-19/history-old-time-photos-of-montauk.html.
Montauk Lighthouse
by James Stegmann
On this week's adventure, the Coastal Cultural Experiences class ventured out on their furthest trip yet to the Montauk Lighthouse. We saw the historical museum inside the lighthouse, walked to the top of the lighthouse, and learned about the degradation of the shoreline. The image above shows the class feverishly taking notes on information about the history of the Montauk lighthouse and all of its quirks and features.
Another topic we were educated on while at the lighthouse was the serious amount of shoreline degradation Montauk Point has taken throughout its lifetime. When the lighthouse was built in 1796, it was about 300 feet away from the edge of the cliff. However, due to the constitution of the bluff being a clay layer, a sand layer, followed by another clay layer, it made ocean degradation a very serious issue. Due to the poor quality of the cliff, in 1967 the Montauk Lighthouse was only 60 feet away from the edge of the bluff. Now the lighthouse is only 100 feet from the edge of the cliff and the ever-looming risk of collapse is still lurking in the future. 
In the photos above, you can see the timeline of the shoreline degradation throughout the years. The top left photo shows where the lighthouse was built in 1796 versus the bottom right photo that shows the location today. As one can see, the lighthouse was on a one-way ticket to Davy Jones's locker. However, if it was not for the tenacious work of Giorgina Reid and her erosion reduction plan, the lighthouse may not still be standing today.
Photographed above is the lovely Giorgina Reid who in my humble opinion is the savior of the Montauk Lighthouse. Once she heard of the news to abandon the lighthouse and demolish it before it was swallowed by the ocean, she knew something had to be done. The erosion problem had become so extreme that everyone believed there was no saving the lighthouse and rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the cliff edge, it was a better bet to just replace the lighthouse all together with a remote-controlled steel pillar. Giorgina had a different plan.
In the photograph above it depicts the terracing plan Giorgina proposed to reduce the amount of erosion on the cliff edge. Her plan was to sink wooden boards into the sand and plant local marsh plants on each descending level of the terrace and surround the bottom of the bank with a massive stone jetty. The boards would act as a barrier that slowed rain water and sea spray from pulling clay and sand layers into the ocean. On the other hand, the plants would spread their roots into the soil and reinforce the layers of the terrace. Her work started in 1970 and after 17 years, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of pounds of wood and plants, the Reid Erosion Control was in full effect. Giorgina’s plan single-handedly saved the Montauk Lighthouse from imminent destruction and even to this day it is still growing stronger as her plants set their roots deeper and deeper into the soil. Because of Giorgina, the Montauk Lighthouse will shine forever.
Wind Farms at Montauk?
There is a place at the easternmost point of Long Island in East Hampton, New York known as Montauk Point. It is called The End by locals since after Montauk Point there is only the Atlantic Ocean. While this area is very picturesque and the atmosphere is very laid back, making for an awesome get away spot; these aren't the only reasons to be interested in this part of Montauk Point. The historical significance of Montauk Point is another very good reason to visit this very breathtaking sight.
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| Cohen, History: Old Time Photos of Montauk 2019 |
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| Montauk Point Lighthouse 2019 |
The Montauk Lighthouse was a very important structure that was created in 1796 after being requested by the then President of the infant United States. It was very important as a navigational guide to warn sailors that they were close by to the rocky and dangerous shores on Montauk Point. It also signaled to the various ships that passed by that they must either turn towards the south shore towards the ports, or towards the sound and either Connecticut or fisheries. This was its purpose for over a century, and much of the land it was on was developed and used for cattle and livestock farming. There were a few additions onto the lighthouse that made it more agreeable to live in, the main house at the base in 1860, and then other buildings that since fell into the ocean due to erosion in 1903. In 1899, it got a fresh coat of paint, one including a new band of red paint around the center to both distinguish it from other lighthouses that had been built since, and to make it much more visible to ships in the daytime. Then in 1941, after being electrified in 1938, the lighthouse was taken over by the US Coastguard as a defensive point during World War 2. Another building, a naval surveillance tower, was added during this time. It remained under their control until 1986 when the Montauk Historical Society took over the stewardship and care of the lighthouse. To this day it has remained under the ownership and care of the MHS and has seen many projects started and finished in efforts to restore the lighthouse and to protect the land around it from further erosion.
Works cited
Osmers, H. (2008). Chapter 4. In On Eagle's Beak: A History of the Montauk Point Lighthouse (pp. 109–128). essay, Outskirts Press, Inc.
United States Coast Guard U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (2019). Montauk Point Lighthouse, Montauk Point State Park, eastern point of Long Island, Montauk, Suffolk County, New York. Montauk Point Lighthouse. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Assets/Land/All/Article/1963396/montauk-point-lighthouse/.
Cohen, L. S. (2019). Montauk Point Lighthouse. History: Old Time Photos of Montauk. Long Island Media, Inc. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www.longisland.com/news/10-23-19/history-old-time-photos-of-montauk.html.
by James Stegmann
Another topic we were educated on while at the lighthouse was the serious amount of shoreline degradation Montauk Point has taken throughout its lifetime. When the lighthouse was built in 1796, it was about 300 feet away from the edge of the cliff. However, due to the constitution of the bluff being a clay layer, a sand layer, followed by another clay layer, it made ocean degradation a very serious issue. Due to the poor quality of the cliff, in 1967 the Montauk Lighthouse was only 60 feet away from the edge of the bluff. Now the lighthouse is only 100 feet from the edge of the cliff and the ever-looming risk of collapse is still lurking in the future.
In the photos above, you can see the timeline of the shoreline degradation throughout the years. The top left photo shows where the lighthouse was built in 1796 versus the bottom right photo that shows the location today. As one can see, the lighthouse was on a one-way ticket to Davy Jones's locker. However, if it was not for the tenacious work of Giorgina Reid and her erosion reduction plan, the lighthouse may not still be standing today.
Photographed above is the lovely Giorgina Reid who in my humble opinion is the savior of the Montauk Lighthouse. Once she heard of the news to abandon the lighthouse and demolish it before it was swallowed by the ocean, she knew something had to be done. The erosion problem had become so extreme that everyone believed there was no saving the lighthouse and rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the cliff edge, it was a better bet to just replace the lighthouse all together with a remote-controlled steel pillar. Giorgina had a different plan.
In the photograph above it depicts the terracing plan Giorgina proposed to reduce the amount of erosion on the cliff edge. Her plan was to sink wooden boards into the sand and plant local marsh plants on each descending level of the terrace and surround the bottom of the bank with a massive stone jetty. The boards would act as a barrier that slowed rain water and sea spray from pulling clay and sand layers into the ocean. On the other hand, the plants would spread their roots into the soil and reinforce the layers of the terrace. Her work started in 1970 and after 17 years, hundreds of volunteers, and thousands of pounds of wood and plants, the Reid Erosion Control was in full effect. Giorgina’s plan single-handedly saved the Montauk Lighthouse from imminent destruction and even to this day it is still growing stronger as her plants set their roots deeper and deeper into the soil. Because of Giorgina, the Montauk Lighthouse will shine forever.
Wind Farms at Montauk?
by Brook Osekoski
The Montauk Point lighthouse is located at the most eastern point on the south fork of Long Island. The point is surrounded by the open waters of the Atlantic except to the west where it connects to the rest of Long Island. To the east is Block Island which can be seen on the horizon if the weather is clear.
Due to their proximity to the ocean, both Block Island and Montauk are generally windy year round. Montauk also has a flat landscape with no large hills or mountains. These geographic features make both locations ideal spots for wind farms. With nothing to block or slow the wind, it is able to pick up speed and strength, especially over the ocean. Some offshore wind turbines have already been constructed near Block Island. Even with the turbines built, there is still debate over if more offshore ones should be constructed and where. One of the biggest arguments in favor of them is that wind energy is one of the main alternatives to burning fossil fuels. By building more, larger areas would be able to transition to the cleaner energy source. One of the concerns about the turbines is how they could impact marine life in the area. While the structures do alter the environment they could also be used as artificial reefs. This would create a habitat that could support smaller, more coastal fish species which would lead to a boost in populations used by fisheries.
Another concern, especially for Long Island, is how the turbines may affect tourism. One of the main draws to Montauk and the east end of Long Island is the maritime culture that can be found throughout the New England area. This includes the serene views of the beach and open ocean. If wind turbines were built off the coast of Montauk, would they obstruct this picturesque view both from the shore and the lighthouse? Is there an area where they could be placed to preserve the scenery and satisfy energy production? These are some of the questions that are being asked with the push for greener energy sources. Although the long term effects of cutting down on fossil fuel use are overwhelmingly positive, it’s still important to consider more immediate local impacts.
Montauk
The Montauk Point lighthouse is located at the most eastern point on the south fork of Long Island. The point is surrounded by the open waters of the Atlantic except to the west where it connects to the rest of Long Island. To the east is Block Island which can be seen on the horizon if the weather is clear.
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| A map showing the location of Montauk Point, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and part of the northern fork. It also shows the locations of lighthouses in the area. Just by looking at the map, it’s easy to see how much open water surrounds both Montauk and Block Island, making them perfect spots for wind farms. |
Due to their proximity to the ocean, both Block Island and Montauk are generally windy year round. Montauk also has a flat landscape with no large hills or mountains. These geographic features make both locations ideal spots for wind farms. With nothing to block or slow the wind, it is able to pick up speed and strength, especially over the ocean. Some offshore wind turbines have already been constructed near Block Island. Even with the turbines built, there is still debate over if more offshore ones should be constructed and where. One of the biggest arguments in favor of them is that wind energy is one of the main alternatives to burning fossil fuels. By building more, larger areas would be able to transition to the cleaner energy source. One of the concerns about the turbines is how they could impact marine life in the area. While the structures do alter the environment they could also be used as artificial reefs. This would create a habitat that could support smaller, more coastal fish species which would lead to a boost in populations used by fisheries.
Another concern, especially for Long Island, is how the turbines may affect tourism. One of the main draws to Montauk and the east end of Long Island is the maritime culture that can be found throughout the New England area. This includes the serene views of the beach and open ocean. If wind turbines were built off the coast of Montauk, would they obstruct this picturesque view both from the shore and the lighthouse? Is there an area where they could be placed to preserve the scenery and satisfy energy production? These are some of the questions that are being asked with the push for greener energy sources. Although the long term effects of cutting down on fossil fuel use are overwhelmingly positive, it’s still important to consider more immediate local impacts.
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| The view from the top of Montauk Point lighthouse. You can see the coastline and crashing waves along with the expanse of open water. Would this be the same if a wind farm was built? |
by Mathew Dean
For class today we ventured out to the end, officially known as Montauk. We spent the day learning about the incredible story of passionate locals teaming up with each other and the federal government to preserve and save the lighthouse from its inevitable meeting with the ocean due to the erosion of Montauk point.
Interestingly enough what stood out to me the most wasn’t the proprietary anti-erosion techniques or how the army corps of engineers would eventually get involved to help save the lighthouse, but rather the sense of community to Montauk itself. A testament to this community comes in the form of a monument at the far side of the lighthouse grounds closest to the ocean. The monument is of a commercial fisherman on a boat and it is dedicated to those who are lost at sea. Looking through the list of names you can't help but notice the last names that repeat, there are generations upon generations of commercial fisherman and sailors that have called Montauk home. Even though it may not be the most pretty or safe line of work you can still tell that fishing is something that brings Montauk together, and is something that they are proud of.
There is an entire room of the museum that is dedicated to fishing. It houses rods, reels, and lures dating back to the early 1900’s, some of which revolutionized fishing. They had the original old school “sidewinder” fishing reels from the 20’s, old small scale drop down reels from the 30’s, all the way up to the first takes on modern day tuna fishing with very large dropper reels with crude stand up harnesses from the 50’s.
For class today we ventured out to the end, officially known as Montauk. We spent the day learning about the incredible story of passionate locals teaming up with each other and the federal government to preserve and save the lighthouse from its inevitable meeting with the ocean due to the erosion of Montauk point.
Interestingly enough what stood out to me the most wasn’t the proprietary anti-erosion techniques or how the army corps of engineers would eventually get involved to help save the lighthouse, but rather the sense of community to Montauk itself. A testament to this community comes in the form of a monument at the far side of the lighthouse grounds closest to the ocean. The monument is of a commercial fisherman on a boat and it is dedicated to those who are lost at sea. Looking through the list of names you can't help but notice the last names that repeat, there are generations upon generations of commercial fisherman and sailors that have called Montauk home. Even though it may not be the most pretty or safe line of work you can still tell that fishing is something that brings Montauk together, and is something that they are proud of.
There is an entire room of the museum that is dedicated to fishing. It houses rods, reels, and lures dating back to the early 1900’s, some of which revolutionized fishing. They had the original old school “sidewinder” fishing reels from the 20’s, old small scale drop down reels from the 30’s, all the way up to the first takes on modern day tuna fishing with very large dropper reels with crude stand up harnesses from the 50’s.
It’s amazing to see the community of Montauk and how fishing plays such a large part in the area's history, both commercially and recreationally.
by Ian Robinson
Commission by George Washington, in 1796 the Montauk lighthouse was built at the tip of the south fork of Long Island. As the first lighthouse in New York State, the Montauk lighthouse marked the southern side of the Long Island Sound. Roughly 100 meters from the edge of the cliff it was built upon, the Montauk Lighthouse towers over the water. Today the lighthouse stands less than 30 meters from the edge. Accelerated by the storm threats, the erosion of the Montauk has defaced its shoreline. Under current acknowledgement of climate change, the increase of storm severity and frequency poses a considerable threat to the Montauk lighthouse. Losing the lighthouse would not only impact those at sea, but to lose the historical site would be the erase of our past. Symbolically the “End” has we know it would it would lose its famous site to see.
The loss of Montauk holds a prime example of the threat to Long Island. The home we knot, has been experiencing more and more cases of erosion. From the loss of our favorite beaches, to the flooding of coastal property we are at war with the ocean, angered by the stresses we have placed upon it. Repercussions of this war could lead to a severe loss in the value of Long Island. From the decrease in property due to flood risk to the loss of tourism appeal we could take a considerable hit towards our economy. The projects we conduct to restore and protect against the damages of battle may become harder to fund. While funds lose value, the issue will only become more severe. In defense of our property, history, and way of life, actions must be taken to preserve our shores.
Is erosion real?
Commission by George Washington, in 1796 the Montauk lighthouse was built at the tip of the south fork of Long Island. As the first lighthouse in New York State, the Montauk lighthouse marked the southern side of the Long Island Sound. Roughly 100 meters from the edge of the cliff it was built upon, the Montauk Lighthouse towers over the water. Today the lighthouse stands less than 30 meters from the edge. Accelerated by the storm threats, the erosion of the Montauk has defaced its shoreline. Under current acknowledgement of climate change, the increase of storm severity and frequency poses a considerable threat to the Montauk lighthouse. Losing the lighthouse would not only impact those at sea, but to lose the historical site would be the erase of our past. Symbolically the “End” has we know it would it would lose its famous site to see.
The loss of Montauk holds a prime example of the threat to Long Island. The home we knot, has been experiencing more and more cases of erosion. From the loss of our favorite beaches, to the flooding of coastal property we are at war with the ocean, angered by the stresses we have placed upon it. Repercussions of this war could lead to a severe loss in the value of Long Island. From the decrease in property due to flood risk to the loss of tourism appeal we could take a considerable hit towards our economy. The projects we conduct to restore and protect against the damages of battle may become harder to fund. While funds lose value, the issue will only become more severe. In defense of our property, history, and way of life, actions must be taken to preserve our shores.
The Walking Dunes vs The Forests
by Connor McCooey
Following our visit to the Montauk Point Lighthouse, we took a hike on the nearby walking dunes. Above is a picture of the sign by the entrance to the trail that has some general information about the dunes. Like the sign says, they are called walking dunes not because you can walk on them, but because the dunes themselves “walk” 3.5 feet to the west each year due to the wind pushing their sand.
The trail first took us along the base of the dunes and then up to the top of the frontmost dune. The above picture shows the view from the top of the dune which is almost as tall as the forest that’s currently in the dune’s path. In the bottom right corner are some grasses that help anchor the sands in place to slow the walking as well as what look to be small, woody shrubs of some kind.
The above picture is a closeup of one of these “shrubs” which we learned is actually the top of a tree poking out above the sand. Since the dunes move closer to the forest in the second picture each year, trees slowly get buried under the sand. Even though it’s mostly buried, this tree is still alive, and you can tell because it still has some leaves at the top that it has yet to lose for the winter.
After taking us to the top of the dunes, the trail then looped around and down to the bottom of the back edge of the dunes. The picture above shows the beginning of a “ghost forest,” which is created when the shifting sands at the other end reveal previously buried trees. Most of the trees in a ghost forest are dead, like the ones pictured here. This is because they were short enough to be completely buried, unlike the tree from the top of the dunes that was tall enough to still reach daylight.
Following our visit to the Montauk Point Lighthouse, we took a hike on the nearby walking dunes. Above is a picture of the sign by the entrance to the trail that has some general information about the dunes. Like the sign says, they are called walking dunes not because you can walk on them, but because the dunes themselves “walk” 3.5 feet to the west each year due to the wind pushing their sand.
The trail first took us along the base of the dunes and then up to the top of the frontmost dune. The above picture shows the view from the top of the dune which is almost as tall as the forest that’s currently in the dune’s path. In the bottom right corner are some grasses that help anchor the sands in place to slow the walking as well as what look to be small, woody shrubs of some kind.
The above picture is a closeup of one of these “shrubs” which we learned is actually the top of a tree poking out above the sand. Since the dunes move closer to the forest in the second picture each year, trees slowly get buried under the sand. Even though it’s mostly buried, this tree is still alive, and you can tell because it still has some leaves at the top that it has yet to lose for the winter.
by Lindsey Segarra
Taking a trip to the Montauk lighthouse we are struck with a gorgeous view of “ THE END”. Once you walk up to the lighthouse you really get the sense of why people refer to Montauk as “ the end” you really do reach the end of Long Island which is quickly eroding away. As we walk inside the museum we take in all the history that had come before. We learned about the people who built the lighthouse and what it took to maintain it. We also learned that in time the lighthouse would eventually fall off the land as erosion keeps happening.
Here we see two different pictures. At first, you don’t notice much of a difference in the pictures they don’t look all that different. At first glance, you see the same lighthouse just with the pasture getting greener. The lighthouse was built in 1796 by John McComb Jr. the keeper’s house was also made at the bottom of turtle hill so they would be able to live with their family and still be able to maintain the lighthouse. In this diagram, we see the construction crew and boats that were there to help build the lighthouse. According to the diagram the lighthouse was 297 feet from the edge. In the second diagram, we see that new buildings were added. In this picture, there was another house or extension to the previous keeper’s house in 1838. Soon after they built new corridors that were built on top of the hill next to the lighthouse so there would be faster access to it. The old keeper’s house-made in 1796 was torn down and the one built in 1838 was made into a stable and workshop. The lighthouse has well gone threw a growth. It extended 14 feet higher to accommodate the first order fresnel lens that was visible every 2 minutes.
As time went on there are more physical changes made to the lighthouse. In 1903 we see the lighthouse has a brown strip painted on it. This is referred to as a day mark making the lighhouse more noticeable and unique so sailors would be able to differentiate it from others. As well as getting a new paint job the first-order fresnel lens was replaced by a three-and-a-half-order fresnel lens that was visible every 10 seconds. With technology becoming more advanced they also added a Marconi international wireless telegraph station. If you look at the water in this diagram you see a crew pulling in a ship this is the wreck of the barkentine Cuba. The crew tried to save the ship by preparing a breeches buoy but they were unsuccessful and managed to save everyone on board. The last diagram shows the lighthouse in 1943 the fresnel lens now is visible at an even faster rate at 5 seconds. Here we also see how important or the role the lighthouse played in its position in world war two. In this diagram, we see a submarine tower that is painted all white. We also see the coat guard building with a red roof and white shingles as well as a pillbox. These buildings were put here at the base of the lighthouse because of the location so they could see any invading german aircraft and u-boat periscopes. As we notice all the changes being done to the lighthouse you can also see how the land is receding backward. In 1987 the lighthouse was moved further back as a concern it was too close to the edge and people considered it a staple in history the people chose to preserve and move it back so they could keep it. The edge is getting closer to the lighthouse today the lighthouse is only 100 feet away from the edge due to erosion. Now the question is as it is moving closer to the edge will we choose to move it back more or let it fall?
When the lighthouse was first built the planners were well aware of the problem of erosion. But the erosion happened very fast losing 100 feet of land per year. After 200 years we lost 200 feet leaving only 100 feet of land left. What caused this erosion to happen faster were multiple natural causes. Storm waves were eating away at the toe of the bluff causing the soil to become soft and crumble apart. The consistent rain as well followed causing the solid to slip away. The groundwater as well sunk threw into the hard layer of clay causing the soil to slide off. All these natural causes caused the soil to shift and wash away leaving no new land it keeps picking at land that is still there. Here are some solutions that are helping protect the lighthouse from erosion but are not harming the environment. They have put a sea wall in place to protect the land from storm waves by using large boulders to create a wall. Behind the sea wall, there also is a toe wall. It is a filter cloth lining that prevents the storm waves to move soil. Not only are they preventing the ocean from taking the soil they are also trying to stabilize the slope. By adding terracing and vegetation it reshaped the slope to a more stable angle. The Terrance that is acting like a pot holds the vegetation is place creating a stable surface for it to grow. The filter cloth lining prevents the soil from being washed away. Beach grass and rosa rugosa hold the buff face their ruts holding soil in place and soaking up the groundwater from the buff. These plants prevent the soil from being taken away from runoff and rain. They have also added a drainage system. The water collection ox is placed in the buff to collect water from the groundwater. The water is collected into a discharge pipe and funneled onto the boulders of the toe wall. These systems created had all pitched a hand in helping restore the land and stop erosion from taking the lighthouse.
By the end of the day, we got to see how important this lighthouse was too long islanders and historians that put in all the work to maintain it. With fundraising and raising awareness about it, we see that it is a staple of history. We chose to keep maintaining it to this day and finding new solutions to erosion to save it because of how important it is.
Taking a trip to the Montauk lighthouse we are struck with a gorgeous view of “ THE END”. Once you walk up to the lighthouse you really get the sense of why people refer to Montauk as “ the end” you really do reach the end of Long Island which is quickly eroding away. As we walk inside the museum we take in all the history that had come before. We learned about the people who built the lighthouse and what it took to maintain it. We also learned that in time the lighthouse would eventually fall off the land as erosion keeps happening.
Here we see two different pictures. At first, you don’t notice much of a difference in the pictures they don’t look all that different. At first glance, you see the same lighthouse just with the pasture getting greener. The lighthouse was built in 1796 by John McComb Jr. the keeper’s house was also made at the bottom of turtle hill so they would be able to live with their family and still be able to maintain the lighthouse. In this diagram, we see the construction crew and boats that were there to help build the lighthouse. According to the diagram the lighthouse was 297 feet from the edge. In the second diagram, we see that new buildings were added. In this picture, there was another house or extension to the previous keeper’s house in 1838. Soon after they built new corridors that were built on top of the hill next to the lighthouse so there would be faster access to it. The old keeper’s house-made in 1796 was torn down and the one built in 1838 was made into a stable and workshop. The lighthouse has well gone threw a growth. It extended 14 feet higher to accommodate the first order fresnel lens that was visible every 2 minutes.
When the lighthouse was first built the planners were well aware of the problem of erosion. But the erosion happened very fast losing 100 feet of land per year. After 200 years we lost 200 feet leaving only 100 feet of land left. What caused this erosion to happen faster were multiple natural causes. Storm waves were eating away at the toe of the bluff causing the soil to become soft and crumble apart. The consistent rain as well followed causing the solid to slip away. The groundwater as well sunk threw into the hard layer of clay causing the soil to slide off. All these natural causes caused the soil to shift and wash away leaving no new land it keeps picking at land that is still there. Here are some solutions that are helping protect the lighthouse from erosion but are not harming the environment. They have put a sea wall in place to protect the land from storm waves by using large boulders to create a wall. Behind the sea wall, there also is a toe wall. It is a filter cloth lining that prevents the storm waves to move soil. Not only are they preventing the ocean from taking the soil they are also trying to stabilize the slope. By adding terracing and vegetation it reshaped the slope to a more stable angle. The Terrance that is acting like a pot holds the vegetation is place creating a stable surface for it to grow. The filter cloth lining prevents the soil from being washed away. Beach grass and rosa rugosa hold the buff face their ruts holding soil in place and soaking up the groundwater from the buff. These plants prevent the soil from being taken away from runoff and rain. They have also added a drainage system. The water collection ox is placed in the buff to collect water from the groundwater. The water is collected into a discharge pipe and funneled onto the boulders of the toe wall. These systems created had all pitched a hand in helping restore the land and stop erosion from taking the lighthouse.
By the end of the day, we got to see how important this lighthouse was too long islanders and historians that put in all the work to maintain it. With fundraising and raising awareness about it, we see that it is a staple of history. We chose to keep maintaining it to this day and finding new solutions to erosion to save it because of how important it is.
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