Northernmost of the seven remaining Lighthouses on the Hudson River, privately owned and maintained by the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society since 1984. In the late 1860’s, hazards created by the Middle Ground Flats opposite the City of Hudson made navigation of the Hudson river at that point extremely risky for the busy shipping route. After much petitioning to the Congress of the United States, a survey was completed and an appropriation of $35,000.00 was approved by Congress in 1872 to build the Hudson City Lighthouse now known as the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse. The facility served as a manned lighthouse until the 1950s at which time the lighthouse was automated and a named facility was no longer a necessity. Today, the Lighthouse still serves an aid to navigation, guiding ships safely around the Middle Ground Flats. Since its opening, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse has been operated and maintained by the United States Coast Guard. Rockefeller, established the Hudson River Valley Commission to explore possible uses for the Hudson River Lighthouses. The Commission recommended that the Coast Guard deed over or lease the facilities to public or not-for -profit groups. These groups would then rehabilitate, maintain and operate the facilities for public benefit. Not until 1982 did any local group seriously attempt to follow through with the recommendations of the Hudson River Valley Commission. In 1982 a group of citizens from Columbia and Greene Counties formed the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society., Inc. Since then, with private donations, public grants, and legislative initiatives, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society has undertaken the analysis and mitigation of structural, aesthetic, interpretive and public access issues that face the property. A landmark lease was signed on February 15, 1984. The 20 year lease was between the Lighthouse Society and the U.S. Coast Guard. It was the first lease signed with a government agency and a private group for a Hudson River Lighthouse. The Lighthouse Title was transferred as part of the Congressional Appropriations Act of 1999. The U.S. Coast Guard officially transferred the deed to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse as of July 3, 2000 making the members of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society its sole owner. THE HUDSON-ATHENS LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY, INCORPORATED
The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit 501(c) 3 organization comprised of members from Columbia and Greene Counties, and neighboring counties and states. The Society is responsible for the restoration, preservation, maintenance and operation of the lighthouse. The lighted beacon remains the responsibility of the U. THE PURPOSES OF THE SOCIETY
To maintain the lighthouse museum which is chartered by the State of New York. To collect and display at the lighthouse artifacts that tell the history of the lighthouse as it relates to Hudson River history and river navigation. To provide seasonal access to the lighthouse for the public. To preserve and restore the integrity of the structure which is a registered National Historic Place. To encourage the use of the site as an open air studio for artists and photographers, and as a seasonal site for special events. Addition Information
Henry Hudson was commissioned by the Dutch East India Company on January 8th, 1609 to find a passage to the “islands of spicery” that would eliminate the lengthy and expensive voyage around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. Provided with an 80-ton ship, the Half Moon, and a crew of twenty, Hudson embarked on his journey in early April of that year. In vain, Hudson explored the shores and tributaries of both Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay searching for a northwest passage. Not ready to give up quite yet, the crew then sailed north and anchored off the island of Manhattan on September 12. During the next several days, Hudson sailed up the river that now bears his name, traveling as far as Albany before shallow waters convinced him that this waterway was not the fabled passage either. Over a century later, a town bearing the name Hudson was established along the river of the same name. A group of whalers on Nantucket, fearing that England would reclaim her colonies, decided to move their business inland. After sailing one hundred miles up the Hudson River, they selected a site on the east bank of the river for their new home. Directly across the river from Hudson, the city of Athens, which would become a shipbuilding town, was subsequently founded. Together, the cities became an important and busy port on the Hudson River during the nineteenth century. Midstream between the cities was a large mud flat called Middle Ground Flats that was completely submerged at high tide. Many a ship found herself unexpectedly stranded on the flats, prompting Congress to appropriate $35,000 in 1872 for construction of a lighthouse to help ships avoid the obstacle. Work on the lighthouse, officially called the Hudson City Light, began in 1873. Pilings were driven fifty feet into the riverbed and then capped by a granite pier. In order to protect the foundation from winter and spring ice floes, the north end of the base was shaped like the prow of a ship. A two-story, Second Empire style brick structure, similar to the Stepping Stones Lighthouse, was completed atop the granite foundation, and Henry D. Best lit the beacon for the first time on November 14 , 1874. The light shown from a focal plane of forty-six feet above the river and was upgraded to a fifth-order Fresnel lens in 1926. Keeper Henry Best performed several rescues during his service. After Henry Best retired, his son, Frank, took over as keeper and continued his father’s practice of helping vessels in distress. In 1912, as Frank Best was performing his duties, he heard a large crash near the lighthouse. He soon discovered the source of the noise - a collision between a tug and the passenger steamship Isabella. Instinctively, Frank jumped into his rowboat and rushed to help. Due to his quick response, Frank was later credited with saving the lives of eleven people. Emil J. Brunner kept the light from 1930 to 1949. For the first seven years, Brunner and his family lived at the lighthouse, but as the children grew older, the family moved into a house in Athens. Each night, Brunner would then row out to tend the light. In 1946, an artist for the Saturday Evening Post had the family pose at the lighthouse for its December 28, 1946 cover. The painting shows Brunner rowing to the lighthouse with his son and a Christmas tree on board. The rest of the family (with the artistic license of a few extra children added) is shown standing on the lighthouse deck anxiously awaiting their arrival. Brunner, the last civilian keeper at the lighthouse, retired in 1949 when the light was automated. Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS) was formed in 1982 to preserve and maintain the lighthouse. Coast Guard leased the property to HALPS in 1984, while retaining responsibility for the upkeep of the beacon. On July 3, 2000, the title to the lighthouse was transferred to HALPS, a fitting reward for their dedicated efforts. HALPS has restored the interior of the lighthouse to represent life in the 1930s, when the Brunner family lived there. Many authentic pieces donated by the Brunner family are on display, and the original fog bell, which still has its clockwork mechanism, is mounted outside on the tower. Keepers Room
The Keepers RoomThere were several keepers that were stations here at this lighthouse over the years, the last civilian keeper being Emil Brunner. Our restoration efforts have focused upon the years in which he and his family lived at the lighthouse. This small room here on the first floor was his bedroom, as he had to be up several times during the night to check the light and refuel the lantern. The oil or kerosene for the lantern was stored in the basement and had to be brought up to the lantern room. The partial lens you see on the floor is one similar to that which would have been here. The original lens is in the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City. Emil Brunner, the last civilian keeper was here from 1932 until 1949. The last person to tend the lighthouse was William Nestle, who oversaw the operations of the light and fog signal from 1966 until 1986. The first keeper was Henry D. Best. He kept the light until his death in January of 1983 and was succeeded by his son, Frank. Through the years the lighthouse had nine light keepers including one woman, Nellie Best, for a short time in 1918.
