Bug Light in Greenport set for stabilization project to weather storms better

The East End Seaport Museum is embarking on a nearly $900,000 project to stabilize Long Beach Bar Lighthouse in an effort to preserve maritime history — and the roots of the museum itself. 

Affectionately nicknamed “Bug Light,” the lighthouse is perched offshore atop a rock pile and battered by winds and tides as it leads mariners to safety between Orient Harbor and Gardiners Bay.

Construction is set to begin in February on the first phase of the restoration — fortifying the rock pile foundation and building a new landing dock and access ramp, according to officials at the Greenport museum. The project, funded through community fundraising and grants, will protect a “defining feature” on the waterfront and set the stage for future revitalization efforts at the site, where officials hope to one day host educational and cultural exhibits and programs.

“The lighthouse is the reason that our museum exists,” Erin Kimmel, executive director at the East End Seaport Museum, said in an interview. “Bug Light is worth the extraordinary effort to preserve because it’s both literally and figuratively embodying the history, identity and lived experiences of our coastal community in a way that few other structures can.”

Bug Light was built in 1870 and destroyed by a fire on July 4, 1963, according to the museum. A “near replica” was rebuilt at the site in 1990 in an effort that included residents and the newly formed seaport museum.

The museum has more than $1.1 million in funding to complete the restoration, and the first phase is expected to cost $880,000, officials said. Of that, $690,000 is from community donations, $293,890 is a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and New York’s Empire State Development organization awarded $139,000.

Shoring up 

Chesterfield Associates, a Westhampton Beach marine contractor, is handling the first phase, which involves the use of heavy cranes to fortify the rock foundation. A new 40-foot pier will be built along with a 161-foot walkway made of 2-ton granite blocks along the perimeter, according to the plans. Wave mitigation screens and structures to manage ice buildup, which can cause damage in the winter, are also planned, officials said.

Kimmel said the new rock revetment will ensure the lighthouse is more resistant to coastal impacts by taking the brunt of waves and strong currents.

“The weight and arrangement of the stones will absorb and dissipate things like wave energy that will reduce the damage that tidal currents, storm surge and seasonal ice do to a foundation over time,” she said.

Construction is expected to wrap up by mid-June, in time for the museum’s seasonal lighthouse cruises to resume. The $70 tours allow visitors to debark and explore the lighthouse.

'Like a Roman candle'

Sarah Sands, the chair of the museum’s board of trustees, said the “history and romance” of the historic lighthouse are important to the community.

“I was 9 years old, and I remember being in Greenport and you could see the fire,” she said. “It was just a beloved landmark as well as an aid to navigation, and people were heartbroken. … It’s something we feel belongs to the whole community.”

The 1963 fire was investigated as an arson and a former fire chief said the old lighthouse "went up like a Roman candle," according to a Newsday account.

"Several persons reported seeing a small outboard motorboat pulling away from the island shortly after the fire started, but detectives said no one could give a detailed description," Newsday reported at the time.

Future restoration phases are also planned to address structural work to the lighthouse, add new exhibits and amenities as well as solar power, and to rebuild an upper balcony to allow visitors 360-degree views, officials said.

A reserve fund will also be created to aid in future repairs.

Kimmel envisions a “living history site” with immersive exhibits about lighthouse keepers, coastal navigation and trade, plus arts and cultural programming.