Old Orchard Shoal Light is a sparkplug lighthouse

Sparkplug lighthouse

A sparkplug lighthouse, sometimes known as a bug light, is a type of caisson lighthouse so named because of its shape. Generally speaking, a sparkplug lighthouse consists of a three-story living area, with the lantern on top; the whole is then placed upon a concrete or metal caisson. The...

 in lower New York Bay

New York Bay

New York Bay is the collective term for the marine areas surrounding the entrance of the Hudson River into the Atlantic Ocean. Its two largest components are Upper New York Bay and Lower New York Bay, which are connected by The Narrows...

 marking a large shoal area.
The Fresnel lens

Fresnel lens

A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...

 was removed in 1950.

History

Old Orchard Shoal Light was completed and lit on April 25, 1893.

Before moving on to Governor's Island and then finally Coney Island Light

Coney Island Light

Coney Island Light is a lighthouse located in Sea Gate, on the west end of Coney Island, Brooklyn, in New York City, east of New York Harbor's main channel....

, Frank Schubert

Frank Schubert

Frank Schubert was the last civilian lighthouse keeper in the United States.Schubert worked for the United States Coast Guard since 1939; at the time of his death he was serving at the Coney Island Lighthouse in Sea Gate, Brooklyn, New York, where he had worked since 1960.He maintained the grounds...

, said to be the last civilian lighthouse keeper in the United States, was stationed at Old Orchard Shoal Light.

Old Orchard Shoal Light is listed on the National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

's Maritime Heritage Program as Lighthouse to visit
and as one of New York's Historic Light Stations.

On May 29, 2007, the Secretary of the Interior

United States Secretary of the Interior

The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...

 identified Old Orchard Shoal Light Station as surplus under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act

National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 is American legislation creating a process for the transfer of federally-owned lighthouses into private hands...

 of 2000. The property was described as

Gedney Channel/Lower New York Bay, 3.5 miles south of New Dorp Beach. Remote 35 ft. conical, 3-story “spark plug” style light (1893) with keeper’s quarters (approx. 1000 SF). Interior lined in brick up to 3rd floor. On 0.72 acre submerged land. Constructed of cast iron on concrete/cast iron caisson. Markings: white upper/black. Protective riprap and breakwater sheltering light’s boat basin. Accessible by boat only."

No group was identified under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act as willing and able to preserve the Old Orchard Shoal Light, and on June 5, 2008, the General Services Administration

General Services Administration

The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...

placed the light up for sale via an auction. The initial bid was $10,000 and the light finally closed on August 27, 2008 at a final bid of $235,000.