Frequently Asked Questions Why create a National Lighthouse Museum? There are many lighthouse organizations in the country working to preserve and restore these rare and beautiful structures. Often they include a very fine small museum as part of the complex. But there is no place where one can see a complete collection of the great variety of lighthouses, materials, stories and artifacts that exist in this country. Nor is there any place where you would get a picture of how these structures fit into a larger system of navigational aids - everything from buoys to satellites, or how they have been used throughout history. In short, no place where you can pull together the whole story. Are lighthouses really necessary anymore? With all of the advances made in electronic navigation over the last half century, the use of lighthouses as aids to navigation has certainly waned. The Global Positioning System (GPS), in particular, has transformed the art of navigation to electronic methods. Lighthouses are still used by ships as a back up to their satellite navigation aids, however, and they are used by small boats that aren't equipped with the necessary navigational electronics. Some lighthouses, which are used as range lights are still as important today as they ever were. The Staten Island Lighthouse, for example, is the rear range light for the Ambrose Channel Range, the primary deep-draft channel into New York Harbor, and remains of vital importance to New York marine traffic. How many lighthouses are there in the United States? It depends upon whom you ask. Lighthouses are generally considered to be a structure built to display a marine beacon or optic, that is, or once was, occupied and kept by one or more lighthouse keepers. Even with this rather exacting definition, the line between lighthouse and a 'minor light structure' can get fuzzy. There were never more than 850 lighthouses in operation at once, although about 1,500 were constructed in this country over the years. The hey-day was around 1910. There were 220 constructed on the U.S. shores of the Great Lakes. Michigan had the most with 90 followed by Maine with about 80. One would expect to see a lighthouse museum at or near a lighthouse, why then is the National Lighthouse Museum located here? Because the site here was the national center of lighthouse operations at a time when our lighthouses were of vital importance to the well being of our country. Here, lighthouse lenses from France and England were assembled, tested, and repaired, buoys were made, lighthouse implements were fabricated, and oils were tested. Experimentation was conducted with lighthouse fuels and lighthouses and regional lighthouse depots were supplied from these buildings. What were the major reasons for selecting Staten Island? The History - For more than a hundred years, this was the main depot and center for US Lighthouse Service operations for the Country. Five of the seven major structures on the property are on the National Register of Historic Places. The main Administration Building is also a New York City Landmark. Within the harbor are dozens of lighthouses, including the Statue of Liberty (the first electrified lighthouse in the country), Sandy Hook (the oldest lighthouse in the country), Twin Lights of Navesink, Robbins Reef, Jeffrey’s Hook (the Little Red Lighthouse), Staten Island Light and others. Easy Access - The site is directly adjacent to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal in St. George. It is easily accessible by car or transit. Almost all of the island’s bus routes, the Staten Island Rapid Transit and of course, the Staten Island Ferry, all converge on this location. By car, it is about 2.5 miles from the Bay St. exit of the Staten Island Expressway (I-278). Visitors - There are over three million tourists and twenty million commuters who ride the Staten Island Ferry each year. With its prominent location in the harbor, the museum will become part of a network of maritime attractions facing the Upper Bay - from South Street Seaport, Battery Park, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to nearby Snug Harbor, Austen House, and Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island. The Property - The Old Lighthouse Depot is approximately 10 acres in area including a park and esplanade and an 850 foot pier which projects out into Upper New York Bay. Seven major historic structures of varying sizes dating from the mid-nineteenth century are on the property. Next door to the depot, the Staten Island Ferry terminal building is scheduled to be rebuilt. The new plans call for a more publicly-oriented waterfront with parks, overlooks restaurants and shops. Support - Staten Island Borough President Molinari has committed $1.2 million dollars to the project and Governor Pataki and Mayor Giuliani have added another $1.9 million dollars each - bringing the total already committed to $5 million dollars. An additional grant of $335,000 dollars from the State Environmental Bond Fund for the stabilization of the buildings has also been awarded. The New York City Economic Development Corporation, which represents the City on this matter, have offered to lease the site for a nominal fee. All of the major civic organizations - including the Staten Island Preservation League and the NY Landmarks Preservation Commission - have been enthusiastic supporters of the proposal as were the many maritime and harbor oriented organizations in and around the city. Finally, the Staten Island Advance, our hometown newspaper, has provided steady, continuous and enthusiastic articles and editorials on project. What was the process by which the selection was made? In March 1997 representatives from all the major lighthouse preservation groups in the country met in Alexandria, Virginia to begin work on the idea. They formed the National Lighthouse Center and Museum Coordinating Committee and began a search for an appropriate site. The committee put out a request to all the lighthouse organizations and other interested groups in the country asking them to submit proposals. Of the seventeen initial submissions, six proposals were chosen for further review - Rockland Maine, Point Judith Rhode Island, New London Connecticut, Mackinaw Michigan, Hull Massachusetts, and Staten Island, New York. These six sites were asked to further develop their proposals and in July of 1998 Staten Island was chosen as the winning location. What kinds of exhibits & activities will there be at the NLM? We are planning a restoration of the original Depot Lighthouse - a cast iron structure used for testing, training and experiments. Lightships and lighthouse tenders will be moored at the pier. The Museum will have a complete collection of classic Fresnel lenses. There will be stories of the keepers’ lives and times and simulations of conditions at famous lighthouses around the world and throughout history. Other exhibits will create a sense of how the overall system works - with the automated systems, solar arrays, helicopters and satellites that comprise a modern system of navigational aids. A restaurants, shops and boat tours are planned. The site is open to the public and people can walk in the parks, go fishing and stroll along the esplanade. Where will all the artifacts come from? We have already received offers from around the country. Members of the National Committee have located and donated material. The Coast Guard has been especially helpful. They have offered their support for the project and have identified a number of significant artifacts already including lenses, fog signals and even ships. What will the museum feature? The National Lighthouse Museum will support the efforts of lighthouse organizations around the country. A research library will house papers, drawings, photos and other valuable materials. Through lectures and exhibits, issues affecting lighthouses and related subjects around the country will be presented. Visitors will be able to learn about the history of the lighthouses near their home towns and the work being done to preserve them. When will the museum open? Even today it is an interesting place to visit; much of the property is already a park and esplanade, which is open to the public. Later this year, we plan to have a lightship moored at the pier. A waterfront restaurant is in the planning stage. In the meantime, we are holding a series of events and activities such as concerts and tours at the site. What else is going on in the area? The St. George waterfront is scheduled to become a major public center for the New York metropolitan area. A new ferry terminal, directly adjacent to the property, will create walks, overlooks, activities and attractions for visitors and residents. To the North of the terminal, the new home of the Staten Island Yankees has already opened. New housing and a hotel are in the works. These are all coupled with improvements at nearby waterfront parks and institutions like Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Alice Austen Park and Museum, The Ft. Wadsworth unit of Gateway National Recreation Area and related activities around the island. How much will it cost? It will cost over $17 million dollars to complete the construction and an equivalent amount will have to be raised as an endowment. Where will the money come from? We already have $5.35 million dollars committed by State and local government but we now need to begin a national fund raising campaign to raise the remaining amount. How do people get involved in the project? Every donation to the museum is most welcome. Your support at this time will help us develop the finest maritime museum of its type in the United States. All donors can elect to receive our quaterly newsletter by email. Membership & Smaller Donations Form. You can become a Charter Member of the National Lighthouse Museum for as little as $25. Send your tax deductible check made payable to:                       National Lighthouse Museum                       One Lighthouse Plaza                       Staten Island, NY 10304. Membership & Smaller Donations Form.

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