The Montauk Historical Society has received a $100,000 grant from the Ludwick Family Foundation for the restoration of the Montauk Lighthouse tower.
“We are over the moon,” Mia Certic, executive director of the historical society, said in a release. “Receiving a grant of this magnitude feels like a huge validation of the work we’ve done, and we are so grateful that our Lighthouse has been recognized in this way.”
The foundation, which is based in Southern California, provides grants to nonprofits across the country and learned of the Lighthouse’s needs from its newest trustee, Nicole Warner, “who first toured the historic landmark last year,” the historical society said.
Water infiltration because of deteriorated metal work has damaged the inside and outside of the 225-year-old tower, which was originally commissioned by George Washington in 1792. As the water froze and thawed over the years, the National Landmark’s walls buckled and cracked.
The historical society is in charge of the grounds and buildings at the Lighthouse, and pays for their upkeep through gift shop sales, entry fees, and private donations. “But this need was exceptional, and we knew we would have to raise additional funds to afford to do the work,” Dick White, chairman of the society’s Lighthouse Committee, said in a release.
The society has raised roughly $1.8 million for the restoration of the tower and the keeper’s residence, both expected to be completed next fall.
Ms. Warner, who was instrumental in securing the grant, delivered the check in person on Dec. 3.
