Barge Hits Historic Lighthouse on the Hudson River
On Wednesday, a barge hit a 150-year-old lighthouse in the middle of the Hudson River, damaging the structure's dock and a stairway. The lighthouse and the barge survived the encounter, and the operating company has agreed to participate in a long-term restoration project for the historic structure.
The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse is located just off Athens, New York in the Hudson River. It is a formal, elegant structure with a granite-block caisson and a red brick tower, and is one of just two remaining "middle-of-the-river" lighthouses on the Hudson. It has been operated by a nonprofit historical preservation association - the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS) - for more than 40 years. HALPS is committed to a long-term program of repairs to restore the site to its 1930s-era condition.
Because of long-term damage to its foundation, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse is in danger of collapse. It is on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of 11 most endangered historic places. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, its wooden piling foundation has been eroded by the wakes of large commercial ship traffic, along with the inevitable effects of decades of ice flows, tides and currents. An estimated $7.5 million in work is required to restore it to serviceable condition.
The impact of the tug and barge did not cause any of these issues, but the contact did add several new ones. The access dock and the stairs from the dock up the caisson were damaged. Luckily, no injuries were reported, and the structure of the lighthouse itself is intact.
“This incident reinforces what we’ve known for some time—the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse is in urgent need of structural restoration,” said Van Calhoun, Chair of the HALPS Restoration Committee. “The impact may have drawn attention to the damage, but it’s the long-term wear from river conditions and vessel traffic that truly threaten its foundation. We appreciate Carver Companies not only for stepping up to repair what happened, but also for recognizing the broader need to preserve this historic landmark for the future.”
Repairs to the stairway have already started. The master of the tug has been suspended and an internal investigation is under way, said Brian Moore, general manager of Carver Marine Towing.
Top image: Hudson-Athens Lighthouse circa 2006 (Kadin 2048 / CC BY SA 2.5)
