From our friends at the Fire Island National Seashore:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: James Dunphy, jim_dunphy@nps.gov

Contact: Kathy Krause, kathy_krause@nps.gov

Fire Island Lighthouse Tower Reopens after Structural Testing
Patchogue, NY – The National Park Service announced today that the Fire Island Lighthouse tower will reopen to the public on June 29th after the completion of structural testing and the installation of monitoring devices. The initial phase of the project closed the tower for three weeks to allow for the removal of bricks, mortar and shotcrete. These materials will be sent to a laboratory to test for compressive strength, moisture migration, absorption, permeability, and salt content. The monitoring devices will be left in place for a full year to continue to provide real time information on the vertical and horizontal movement of the tower, along with humidity, temperature,  and moisture levels. “Information gained from the structural testing project will help inform a long-term preservation strategy for this iconic Lighthouse” stated James Dunphy, the Seashore’s Facility Manager.
The Fire Island Lighthouse is located at the west end of Fire Island National Seashore and is accessible year-round by car with fee parking available at Robert Moses State Park field #5. The lighthouse area offers exhibits, a boardwalk nature trail, and public and education programs. The tower, Keepers Quarters, gift shop and Lens Building are open daily. The lighthouse is operated by the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society under a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service. For more information on visiting the lighthouse please visit www.nps.gov/FIIS or contact 631-661-4876.

       

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About National Park Service
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
About Fire Island National Seashore
About Fire Island National Seashore. Fire Island National Seashore encompasses 26 miles of ocean and bay shoreline, maritime forests, and residential communities. Fire Island’s dynamic coastal landscape is home to a diversity of plants and wildlife and offers a retreat from nearby metropolitan New York. Please visit us online at www.nps.gov/fiis, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fireislandnps, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fireislandnps, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/fireislandnps.