Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse

Location: Lower NY Harbor; west of Romer Shoal; about 3 miles southeast of Staten Island

Description: 51-foot cast-iron sparkplug tower; white and brown; originally cast light from a 4th order lens -- white with red sector

History of light:

1891: Lighthouse Board requested funds for lighthouse at Old Orchard Shoal (to act as a front range light), and to rebuild the light tower at Waakcaack, NJ, which would serve as a rear range light.

1950s: Waakcaack Rear Range Light discontinued and Old Orchard Shoal Light automated.

Current use:

The surrounding area:

Public access? Visible by boat.

Similar Lights: Similar to other sparkplug lights in the area

Other information: A bell buoy and a lighted buoy marked the site before the lighthouse. Frank Schubert, famous for being the last civilian lightkeeper in the US, served at Old Orchard Shoal early in his career.

Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse on July 15, 2006
(photo by Diane Mancini)

Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse on July 15, 2006
(photo by Diane Mancini)

Back to NewYorkLighthouses.com