Thursday, May 30, 2024

Celebrate the Sesquicentennial

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse. Since 1874, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse has been guiding mariners traveling on the river. The sesquicentennial celebration kicks off this Saturday, June 1, with a Boat Parade.


Henry Hudson Riverfront Park is the vantage point in Hudson for viewing the parade, where the festivities will be going on from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be live music, provided by Rick and Marilyn, and delectable food, provided by various vendors.


Leading the Boat Parade will be the vintage schooner Apollonia and the historic racing sloop Eleanor. The parade will set sail from Athens at noon, meander down to Catskill, passing beneath the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, and then return upstream to circle the lighthouse and continue on to Hudson for a grand finale. 

All boats on the water are welcome to join the parade. Click here for details about staging areas and launch times.

On May 1, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse (HAL) was included on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2024. Erosion caused by ever larger and deeper commercial ships traveling the Hudson River, as well as ice floes, tides, and currents, has significantly damaged the underwater wood pilings that support the lighthouse, and engineering reports indicate the building is at risk of collapse within three years if no action is taken. An estimated $7.5 million in funding is needed to stabilize the pilings and address the preservation needs. 

Photo: David Oliver | National Trust for Historic Preservation
Kristin Gamble, president of the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Preservation Society (HALPS), extends this invitation to Saturday's Boat Parade: "I hope everyone joins in the celebration of this beloved lighthouse! The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse (HAL) continues to be such an essential piece of the area's history and identity. Together, I know that we'll successfully save HAL!"

To contribute to the effort to save the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, click here.
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1 comment:

  1. Wut?June 4, 2024 at 10:10 AM

    It seemed as though during the boat parade and the prior weekend the State boat launch parking lot was full to almost capacity and possibly even to capacity at times.

    Very cool event and we are lucky to have such a great view!

    ReplyDelete