Although it was known as Rondout II, this Hudson River landmark lighthouse was the third structure to be built at the convergence of Rondout Creek and the Hudson River between 1837 and 1915. Today, the yellow brick structure is the centerpiece of the popular Hudson River Maritime Museum, which chronicles the historic region with its ships, lighthouse tours and other relics of this famous river.

Before the Museum assumed control of the lighthouse in 1985, this Kingston New York icon reflected the colorful seafaring history of the Hudson Valley. With the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, river trade between the eastern seaboard and America’s heartland increased, as did the need for more light stations to guide mariners through the shallows and rocks. At its height, there were 14 Hudson River sentinels – today there are seven. The river was so treacherous, the US Lighthouse Establishment tried to create a system of lamplighters who hung lanterns at particularly dangerous points to warn sailors.

Rondout village was a bustling center of river commerce in the early 1800s and the first lighthouse was a wooden structure built on the south side of the creek. Ice floes and tidal currents proved too much for the valiant sentinel and it was replaced 30 years later with a bluestone house built on a cut stone base. This was Rondout I.

In 1913, after the creek was dredged and the second lighthouse was abandoned, Rondout II was lit on August 25, 1915. The beacon had a 6th Order Fresnel Lens with a 52-foot focal plane.
The Murdock family served as keepers for all three Rondout sentinels. George came to the first lighthouse in 1856 with his pregnant wife, Catherine, and two small children. Less than a year later, he was drowned returning to the lighthouse with supplies.

Though there were applications for the position, local townspeople urged the appointment of Catherine and she was officially named head keeper in 1857, remaining in that vital role for the next 50 years. After servicing both the first and second lighthouses, she retired in 1907 and was succeeded by her son, James, who had been assistant keeper since 1880. James moved to Rondout II when it was built and retired in 1923.

Rondout II was automated in 1954 and fell into disrepair without a keeper. In 1984, the Museum entered into a long-term lease with the USCG, restoring the interior and exterior over a four-year period. The interior décor is representative of the 1930s.

An authentic launch owned by the Museum transports visitors to the lighthouse throughout the summer months for tours. The historic Rondout waterfront community is filled with shops and boutiques, reminiscent of the 19th Century, and many events attract tourists to the area. For more information, contact the Hudson River Maritime Museum at 914-338-0071.