Under the Bridge by the Hudson
From here you can see the Little Red Lighthouse, which children saved
The story
Above you is the George Washington Bridge. Look across to the far shore, at the foot of the bridge. A little red lighthouse stands there, about forty feet tall. It was first lit on Jeffrey’s Hook in 1921. In 1927, work on the bridge began right above it. In 1942 a children’s book came out: “The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge.” In 1948 the Coast Guard turned off the light and planned to auction the lighthouse. But there was a public outcry, much of it from children who loved the book. In 1951 the lighthouse was handed over to New York City’s parks department. People tried to block this river as far back as 1776. On July 12, two British ships, the Rose and the Phoenix, sailed up the Hudson, and the cannons of Fort Washington barely touched them. Then the Americans sank obstructions in the channel between the forts. They hoped no ship would get past again under fire from both forts.
Visiting
From here the Shore Trail heads south past the boat launch. About half a mile past the launch, it turns away from the river and climbs stone steps to the Edgewater park entrance. From there, take the sidewalk north back to Fort Lee Historic Park.
On the trail
- The Palisades: Carpenter’s Loop — 2.8 miles (4.5 km), loop, about 1.5 h
Sources
- Wikipedia (EN) — Jeffrey’s Hook Lighthouse: the Little Red Lighthouse
- Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey — Fort Lee Historic Park: the fort in 1776, hours, metered parking, Carpenter’s Loop
- Wikipedia (EN) — George Washington Bridge
- Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey — map and description of Carpenter’s Loop from Fort Lee Historic Park (2023)
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