Horton Point Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Horton Point Lighthouse sits on a bluff on the North Fork of Long Island, looking north across Long Island Sound toward Connecticut. Completed in 1857, it combines a square, slightly tapered brick tower, 55 feet high, with a two-story keeper's dwelling. Around 1865-70 a second story was added to house an assistant keeper. A storage barn from 1891 also stands on the eight-acre site. The light served a busy shipping route; the keeper's log for October 1860 counted 979 vessels passing in one month. Its design is unusual for Long Island, since it predates the standardized plans the Lighthouse Board later promoted. The light was automated in 1933, ending the keeper era, and the property passed to the Southold Park District. The Coast Guard recommissioned the old tower in 1990, and it still shows a green flashing light. Part of the building now serves as a museum and exhibit space.
Significance in brief: It is tied to the maritime history and commercial navigation of Long Island Sound. Its design is also distinctive: a short square brick tower with a vernacular attached dwelling, built before the Lighthouse Board standardized lighthouse designs. The tower and dwelling keep a high degree of exterior integrity and the light still operates.
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 94001237, listed October 21, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N end of Lighthouse R., Southold |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | October 21, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1857-1933 |
| Architect / builder | U.S. Lighthouse Service (builder) |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Maritime History, Transportation, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a working lighthouse, recommissioned by the Coast Guard in 1990. The dwelling's lower level is used as a meeting and exhibit area and the upper floors as a rental apartment. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 41.08543, -72.44593 (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 94001237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5906921
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.