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Montauk Point State Park Vacations, Experiential Tours and Travel Packages
Montauk Point Lighthouse Photo
Montauk Point State Park is located in the hamlet of Montauk at the eastern tip of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York. Montauk Point is the easternmost extremity of the South Fork of Long Island, and thus also of New York State. The park is at the end of New York State Route 27, Sunrise Highway.
The park contains the Montauk Point Lighthouse, which was authorized by the Second Congress, under President George Washington in 1792. Construction began on June 7, 1796 and was completed on November 5, 1796. The lighthouse and adjacent Camp Hero were heavily fortified with huge guns during World War I and World War II. Those gun emplacements and concrete observation bunkers (which are also at nearby Shadmoor State Park) are still visible.
During the Cold War a huge, long range radar was built at Camp Hero. The decommissioned radar has become the topic of an urban legend that it was used for time travel via the Montauk Project.
The Amistad, a Spanish ship taken over by slaves in 1839 was captured by the USS Washington near here. The slaves were allowed to briefly disembark here before reimprisoned and taken to New London, Connecticut for trial. The Amistad case went before the Supreme Court of the United States. John Quincy Adams successfully argued that the slaves had been kidnapped and they were permitted to return to Africa. The case fanned the debate over abolition of slavery.
www.wikipedia.com
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