Stepping Stones Light Station
Also known as: Stepping Stones Light
Why it's listed
Stepping Stones Light Station is a lighthouse on a rocky reef at the western end of Long Island Sound, off Kings Point, New York. Completed in 1877, it consists of a one-and-one-half story brick house in the Second Empire style with a three-story square tower topped by an octagonal cast-iron and glass lantern. The structure sits on a circular granite pier in about 11 feet of water and can be reached only by boat. It was built by the U.S. Lighthouse Board and is now owned by the Coast Guard. The station was modernized in the early 1950s for Coast Guardsmen, when a bedroom became a bathroom and the six arched dormers were later removed from the mansard roof. Window openings have since been filled or covered, and solar panels now power the light. The station is significant for its role in the federal system of navigational aids serving the port of New York and for its architecture. Its period of significance runs from 1877 to 1955.
Significance in brief: The station is significant for its link to the federal effort to build an integrated system of navigational aids and to make maritime transport safe in and around the port of New York. It also represents the Second Empire style as applied to a lighthouse. It is listed under Criteria A and C for maritime history, transportation and architecture.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 05001026, listed September 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Long Island Sound, 0.9 mi. NW of Elm Point at town of Kings Point, Kings Point |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | September 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001026 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1877-1955 |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Lighthouse Board |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Maritime History, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and still functioning as a lighthouse, with solar panels powering the light signal. The interior is partly stripped and the window openings are filled or covered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.82433, -73.77465 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 05001026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7611130
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.