Saugerties Lighthouse
Why it's listed
Rising from a stone pier at the mouth of Esopus Creek, this two-story brick lighthouse in Saugerties was built in 1869 to replace a dwelling and tower put up in 1835. It has a hipped roof, Italianate detailing, and an L-shaped plan with a tower where the two wings meet. Fill from the creek's north dike now makes it reachable on foot at low tide, and the surrounding marsh is considered a bird sanctuary. The station is described as the oldest family lighthouse remaining along the upper Hudson. Its light and fog bell warned river traffic of hazards, and its keepers assisted boatmen in trouble in an area of busy industry. Electricity, plumbing and heating arrived in the 1940s. The Coast Guard closed the station in 1954 and removed its fixtures and lens. A new beacon and fog signal on a steel tower replaced the old apparatus in 1972. The vacant building has since deteriorated, though its structure is rated fair.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest family station remaining along the upper Hudson. It was built in an L shape with a tower at the junction of its two wings, and its Italianate detailing is noted. Its light and fog bell warned of river hazards, and the keepers aided boatmen in trouble in an area with many industries. It is part of a thematic group covering maritime history, architecture and transportation.
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 79001642, listed May 29, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Hudson River at Esopus Creek, Saugerties |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | May 29, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001642 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Italianate detailing |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed by the Coast Guard in 1954; unused since then, with deterioration and some unsafe floors. Structural condition is described as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.07209, -73.92979 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 79001642.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7427213
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.