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EAST END LIGHTHOUSES, INC.
Officers:
Board of Directors:
Committees:
  • Membership - Mark Gebhardt
  • Fundraising and Grants - Peter Young
  • Public Relations - Mike Kurz, Karen Doherty and Richard Warwick
  • Event Planning - Group Committee
Cruise Moderator - Historian
  • Robert Allen

OUR MISSION

East End Lighthouses was formed for the purpose of acquiring, restoring and maintaining lighthouses throughout eastern Long Island as aids to navigation in recognition of the important architectural and cultural significance these structures have as part of the maritime heritage of the area and to promote community awareness of these important facilities through public information and fund raising to insure the continued existence of these structures for the benefit of the maritime community and the community at large.
  HISTORY OF EAST END LIGHTHOUSES  
  Certain events occurred in the year 2000 that led to the formation of East End Lighthouses:
  1. The passing of the Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000;
  2. Requests by local commercial fishermen, Cross Sound Ferry Service and the Bay Constables of Southold Town of the need to reactivate the Plum Island Lighthouse as a Federal Aid to Navigation to increase the safety of vessels traversing the dangerous waters of Plum Gut.
With the occurring of these events came the realization that there was no dedicated or interested entity to take an active role in the preservation, restoration and, if required, acquisition of the off shore lighthouses of Southold Town. Of the Town's eight lighthouses, the most of any town in the country, seven of them are on off shore islands, six are on Government owned lands, five are operated by the United States Coast Guard, one is on the endangered list (Plum Island), and one is in need of major structural repairs.

With passing of the Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, coupled with increased demand of Coast Guard services, it was to be expected that there would be a gradual incentive to transfer Government owned lighthouse properties and structures to a local non-for-profit entity. There was, therefore, an obvious need to set up a local lighthouse organization that would fill this expected void and to take on the task of preservation of these off shore lighthouses which not only serve as aids to navigation but a historic symbol of our maritime heritage. It was also understood and expected that taking on this regional lighthouse project would be unusually challenging with financial requirements expected to be extensive.

With these considerations in mind, several individuals together a group of local owners of construction companies, marine contractors, and civic minded individuals to form a 501(c)3, not-for-profit company for the specific purpose to preserve, restore, acquire if available, and to maintain the off shore lighthouses of Eastern Long Island as Federal Aids to Navigation and symbols of our unique maritime heritage. The incorporation was able to be fast tracked and East End Lighthouses became a New York State, not-for-profit corporation on January 9, 2001. 		 
  In January of 2009, the board of directors of East End Lighthouses voted to have a trial affiliate membership with the United States Lighthouse Society. Details are included with membership information. For details on membership please go to our Membership Page.