Urgent Preservation Efforts Underway to Save Local Beacon: The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse

The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, located on the Hudson River, has served maritime traffic for 150 years. Positioned between Hudson city and Athens village in New York, this 46-foot tall lighthouse is important for navigation and local history. It features a mansard roof and limestone trimmings, typical of the Second Empire architectural style.

Kate Treacy, the operations director at the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS), notes the lighthouse's role in connecting the two communities. It is a key symbol in the Hudson Valley. However, the structure is now at risk due to its deteriorating condition, which has led to urgent preservation needs.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has recognized the lighthouse's significance by including it in its 2024 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This list highlights historic sites, like Michigan’s DeTour Reef Light and Massachusetts’ Gay Head Lighthouse, that need conservation.

The lighthouse was built after the Erie Canal opened in 1925, making the Hudson River a crucial commercial route. It was placed to mark the Middle Ground Flats, a dangerous sandbar, and help ships navigate safely. Its foundation, made of 200 wooden pilings, is now weakened by modern shipping and natural forces.

Preservation efforts include installing an underwater barrier to protect the foundation and repairing the structure. HALPS has obtained funding from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation’s Environmental Protection Fund for essential repairs like roof replacement and structural strengthening.

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