Hudson Valley On The Water: Tarrytown Lighthouse Restoration

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Tarrytown Lighthouse has been surrounded by chainlink fence, off limits to sightseers and in disrepair for several years now, but that could soon change.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer announced a $3.4 million rehabilitation of the county-owned lighthouse this week.

“This long overdue work will breathe new life into an iconic Westchester landmark,” Latimer said announcing the capital improvement project on the banks of the Hudson. “This long overdue work will breathe new life into an iconic Westchester landmark. The Lighthouse, which has served as a backdrop on many County communications early in my Administration, is synonymous with the beautiful downtown Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow Riverfront and this work will meld perfectly with the dynamic attractions that already exist on this location.”

The project will restore the lighthouse, stabilize the structure and prevent further deterioration. The massive investment from the county will include repairs and repainting to the exterior cast iron, replacement of windows and doors, repair of cracks in the cellar/caisson area, cleaning and re-pointing of the foundation masonry, restoration of the interior plaster and painting finishes throughout and repairs to and restoration of all the wood floors. The work will also include reconstruction of the intermediate landing between the bridge and gangway, a new security gate on the mainland, and new electric and exterior lighting.

With a little luck and hard work, the efforts will once again allow visitors to enjoy the light up close rather than from behind fencing and barricades.

“This historic landmark is a recognizable symbol, not just for the people of Tarrytown but for the people of all the Rivertowns,” Westchester County Legislator Alfreda Williams said. “It is going to be wonderful to see it fully restored, inside and out - and opened to tours again. Back in 2011 when I was a new legislator, the vote to approve design work for the restoration was one of my first actions on the Board. So, it's taken a while to get to this point, but I couldn't be happier that work is now beginning.”

The Tarrytown Lighthouse, located just off the Kingsland Point Park shoreline, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is operated by the Village of Sleepy Hollow under an agreement with the county.