The lighthouse was first established in 1890. The current tower was first lit in 1920 and is still operational. It was automated in 1989. The foundation material is steel pile and the lighthouse is made out of steel. It is a skeletal white tower with black trim. The original lens was a fourth order Fresnel lens put up in 1890. The most recent resident keeper was Frank Schubert (1915–2003), who was among the last civilian lighthouse keepers in the United States. Schubert worked for the United States Coast Guard since 1939, serving at Coney Island since 1960.