Drone flight from the beautiful cliffs of Camp Hero State Park down the shoreline to the beautiful, historic Montauk Lighthouse. Some information of the Park and Lighthouse...

Camp Hero State Park encompasses 415 acres of diverse landscape including heavily wooded areas, a long expanse of beachfront along the Atlantic Ocean, and an historic military installation. Specific features of Camp Hero are magnificent pristine maritime forests, freshwater wetlands, spectacular ocean vistas and dramatic bluffs rising from the beach. An extensive system of trails is available for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The park boasts some of the best surf fishing locations in the world, open 24 hours a day to fishermen with permits, and areas for picnicking. An undisturbed environment shelters bountiful wildlife and an abundance of birds. The former military base that is in the park is registered as a National Historic Site. Swimming is not permitted.

The Montauk Point Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in New York State. The Lighthouse was authorized by the Second Congress, under President George Washington, in 1792. Construction began on June 7, 1796, and was completed on November 5, 1796. It still serves as an aid to navigation. The Montauk Point Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark in recognition of the property’s national significance in the history of the United States on March 5, 2012, by the Secretary of the Interior.

TIMELINE
April 12, 1792
By an act of the Second Congress, President George Washington authorizes lighthouse construction at Montauk Point
June 7, 1796
Cornerstone is laid by builder John McComb Jr.
Nov. 5, 1796
Construction of lighthouse and dwelling completed

MONTAUK LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS
Members of the U.S. Lighthouse Service and the U. S. Coast Guard have been the residing keepers, tending the light for those at sea. Whaling ships, steamers, submarines, fishing and sailing vessels of all kinds have passed this tower on Turtle Hill, guided and reassured by its presence. On land, generations of visitors have made the trek to Long Island’s easternmost tip, marveling at this lighthouse, the work of the keepers, and the beauty of Montauk Point.
Automated by the Coast Guard in 1987, the Montauk Point Lighthouse no longer needs a lightkeeper; however, a keeper of its history is essential. Under a program to provide for the continued maintenance and preservation of this historic lighthouse, the Coast Guard transferred ownership of the lighthouse to the Montauk Historical Society in 1996.