Galloo Island Lighthouse is located in Eastern Lake Ontario 12 miles off the coast of Sackets Harbor, New York. It can only be described as a scene from National Geographic. It is a wild and remote place, home to all sorts of seabirds with incredible fishing and beautiful sunsets.

The lighthouse was originally built in 1820 (See History) and then rebuilt in 1867 of cut gray limestone quarried on the island. It is reported to be the oldest lighthouse on Lake Ontario. It sits on just over one acre of land surrounded on three sides by 25 acres of a wildlife refuge owned by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The fourth side is 160' of private shoreline with a beautiful white beach and protected landing cove.

The lighthouse is un-restored. It is a fully automated, functioning lighthouse which means it is an active U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation. The stone walls in some places are a foot and a half thick and the foundation sits on bedrock so it is an incredibly solid structure. Extensive original drawings are available for review for historical accuracy.

The keepers house has not been inhabited since the 1970's and needs extensive renovation. The United States Coast Guard has an easement to maintain the light itself and has the key to the tower which has separate entrance from the main house.

The property is on the National Register of Historic Places and it is zoned Marine. Galloo Island totals approximately 2000 acres. (The island is approximately 4.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide) The majority of the island ~1970 acres is privately owned and advertises availability for seasonal rentals for hunting and fishing at $19,500 a week for up to twelve persons. Most of the structures for that property are on the opposite side of the island approximately 4 miles away That property is currently advertised as being for sale as a private island for $12,750,000. It has an airstrip and luxury accommodations.

Historic Sackets Harbor, the nearest town, has been extensively restored and developed and is an incredibly beautiful historic village. Sackets Harbor played a major part in the War of 1812 as a significant U.S. naval base and battlefield. The town has a historic battle field park that fully demonstrates what transpired there and the strategic importance of the region at that time. The battle at Sackets Harbor played an important role in defining today’s boarder between the U.S. and Canada.

Sackets Harbor has many shops and restaurants much like one would expect of coastal Maine.

There are many possibilities for the lighthouse and it’s island location. It could become a tourist destination. The keepers house could be restored and used as a Bed & Breakfast or as a cottage rental. It could be residential or a combination residence and rental. Contacts could be made with both Henderson Harbor and Sackets Harbor for tourism connections and boat tours. A webpage could be generated to solicit worldwide interest for tours and rentals of the Lighthouse, grounds and beach.

The fishing in the area is excellent for Salmon, Walleyed Pike, and small mouth bass. The island has an abundance of deer and turkeys. The waters are very clear and the fissured bedrock lake bottom can be seen as evidenced from the aerial photos.

It is rare for a lighthouse with this level of privacy and useable grounds to become available for private purposes. It is a unique opportunity for solitude or as an opportunity to make this place known to the huge number of lighthouse enthusiasts.

There is a private beach for landing and a cove. A 20' aluminum power boat comes with the property. It can travel in excess of 25 mph. . According to some original plans, there were fireplaces that heated the building but they were covered over with dry wall when the steam heat was installed. The pipes and radiators seem to be okay but the boiler needs to be replaced. There is currently no generator and the electrical system needs to be upgraded to today's standards. There is an existing septic system. The water well is drilled and cased but no pump is installed. The roof is tiled and needs repair. There are many extra tiles in the crawl space under the house. In the keepers quarters there are 3 to 5 bedrooms, depending on how you want to renovate it. On the first floor there are two stairways leading to the upstairs. There is a smaller room downstairs. There is a formal dining room, living room, and very large kitchen with a back porch. A lower level room off the kitchen porch contains the heating system and other plumbing. All the systems should be gone over and upgraded as needed. The tower is attached to the keepers quarters and is accessed via an enclosed walkway. The tower is built of the same limestone, faced on the inside with brick covered with plaster. There is an iron staircase winding up the interior in solid condition. The views from the tower are expansive. The sunsets spectacular.

The stone and wood framing appear to be in good condition, but the house needs to be gutted completly. Some plumbing may be usable, but likely it should be treated as if it all should be replaced. All wiring should be replaced.