National Register of Historic Places

Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex

Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, New York
Listed
December 18, 1979
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
79001568

About this property

The Dunkirk Lighthouse, also known as the Point Gratiot Light, is an active lighthouse located at Point Gratiot on Lake Erie in New York state. The lighthouse was established in 1826 and the current tower was first lit in 1875. The lighthouse was automated in 1960 and is still operational. The foundation is made out of dressed stone and the lighthouse is made out of rubblestone encased in brick. The tower is square-shaped with the upper two thirds in white and the lower third left natural and the lantern housing in red. The original lens is a third order Fresnel lens installed in 1857 in the original 1826 light and is still in operation. Its being still in use makes it a rarity. Only 70 such lenses are operational in the United States, 16 being on the Great Lakes of which two are in New York. At the entrance to the park property is the South Buffalo North Side Light, formerly located in Buffalo Harbor. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex in 1979.

Location

Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, New York
42.49379, -79.35388

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Dunkirk Light
Early Republic
0 mi
US Post Office-Dunkirk
Industrial
1.3 mi
School No. 7
Industrial
1.9 mi
US Post Office-Fredonia
Industrial
3.8 mi
Fredonia Commons Historic District
Listed
3.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex listed on the National Register?

Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex?

Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex?

The period of significance for Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Point Gratiot Lighthouse Complex?

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