The Bug Light and the Coffee Pot

What could a bug light and a coffee pot possibly have in common?

They're the affectionate nicknames of two historic lighthouses that have quietly watched over the waters of Orient Point, New York, for well over a century.

The Orient Point Lighthouse, better known as "The Coffee Pot," was constructed in 1899 to help guide vessels safely through the swift, often unpredictable currents of Plum Gut.

Orient Point Lighthouse, known as the Coffee Pot, standing at the entrance to Plum Gut.

Its distinctive "sparkplug" design reminded generations of mariners of an old-fashioned coffee pot, and the nickname stuck. Although it was sold into private ownership in 2011, it continues to serve as an important aid to navigation and remains an iconic landmark at the eastern tip of Long Island.

Sunrise on the tip of Long Island

Fog is not uncommon, all the more reason why that beacon shines

A few miles away sits Long Beach Bar Lighthouse, affectionately known as "Bug Light." Built in 1870, it marks the dangerous sandbar—known locally as Long Beach—that stretches between Orient Harbor and Gardiners Bay.

The Long beach sandbar dividing Gardiners bay and Orient harbor

Like the Coffee Pot, its unusual shape earned it a nickname that locals have embraced for generations.

Long Beach Bar Lighthouse, known locally as Bug Light, in Gardiners Bay near Orient Point.

But Bug Light has a story that almost ended in tragedy.

On the night of July 4, 1963, a fire destroyed the lighthouse, leaving it abandoned and slowly deteriorating for more than twenty-five years. It would have been easy to let it disappear into history.

Instead, something remarkable happened.

In 1989, hundreds of local residents rallied together to save it. They donated money, construction materials, equipment, and countless hours of labor. Through determination, careful planning, and an incredible community effort, Bug Light was completely rebuilt. From the project's beginning to its completion took just sixty days—an astonishing achievement and one of the most unique lighthouse restoration projects anywhere.

Every time I photograph these two lighthouses, I'm reminded that they're more than picturesque subjects standing against the sky. They are symbols of the people and the maritime history that shaped the North Fork. One has faithfully guided mariners through Plum Gut for more than a century. The other stands today because an entire community refused to let its history disappear.

Sometimes the stories behind the photographs are every bit as compelling as the photographs themselves.