The original Plum Island Lighthouse was built in 1848, but was later moved to Pilot Island.
The Plum Island Range Lights were constructed in 1895. The lights are located on the southern end of the island. The front range light is on the east (bottom picture), and the rear range light is about a third of a mile to the west. The rear range light consist of a tubular and skeletal shaped tower 65 feet tall and capped with a red lantern top and ventilator ball that houses a fourth order Fresnel lens with a fixed red beam. A spacious two story keeper's dwelling and a fog signal building stand nearby (top picture). The original front range light was a wooden tower and was close to the beach. It harbored a smaller sixth order Fresnel lens. A modern, metal skeletal forty foot tower replaced the wooden tower in the mid 60's (bottom picture). The range lights display a metal banner with red stripes on either side of a middle white stripe to serve as a day marker. The day marker cannot be seen clearly in the top picture, but can be seen in the middle picture at left side of the flag staff tip. Click on the picture to enlarge it and the day marker is easier to see.
Plum Island was also home to a Lifesaving Station (bottom picture).
At the time of my visit in 2002, the Coast Guard considered the Plum Island Lights as surplus property, and were considering the State would take over the island as a possible new State Park.
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