CUMBERLAND HEAD

Type:
Year Established:
1838
Existing:
Yes
Source:
LL-1903
Cumberland Head NY 2012.jpg
Download:
File Type:
jpg (image/jpeg)
Photo Date:
2012
Photo Courtesy of:
US Lighthouse Society
Collection / Donor:

LOCATION

Location:
LAKE CHAMPLAIN/CUMBERLAND BAY
Latitude:
44° 41.30'
Longitude:
73° 23.09'
City / Town:
PLATTSBURG
U.S. State:
New York
Location County:
CLINTON
Country:
United States

OWNER & ACCESS

Open to Public:
No
Light List Data:
  1. CUMBERLAND HEAD
Light list data courtesy Gary Riemenschneider

STRUCTURE

Year Discontinued:
1934
Year Tower Established:
1868
Tower Construction Material:
LIMESTONE
Tower Foundation:
CONCRETE/LIMESTONE
Height of light above mean high water, in feet:
55 feet above water
Height, in feet, from base of structure to center of lantern:
50 feet
Tower Shape:
CONICAL
Fog Signal Building?:
No
Keeper's Quarters?:
Yes
Year Keeper's Quarters:
1868
Keeper's Quarters Style:
MODIFIED
Keeper's Quarters Construction:
GRANITE

OPTICS

Active Aid to Navigation?:
No
Original Optic Type:
FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Original Lens Installed:
1856
Private Aid:
No
USCG Access to Optics:
No
Comments:

Historical Information:

  • 1838: The original Cumberland Head Lighthouse  and housed eleven lamps with reflectors.
  • 1856: The lamps were replaced with a fourth order Fresnel lens.
  • 1867: The tower was taken down. The materials were then transported a short distance and reassembled. The tower now stood at 50 feet and housed the original Fresnel lens. It was attached to a gothic style keeper’s dwelling.
  • 1868: The new tower was lit.
  • 1934: A skeletal tower was built to replace the lighthouse and the limestone tower was deactivated.
  • 1948: A couple purchased the keeper’s quarters and restored it. They maintained the lighthouse for 50 years.
  • 2003: The lens was returned to the tower and once again, it became an active aid to navigation.
Entered by:
t.wheeler
Entered Date:
Jul 21, 2017