Eatons Neck Light in New York has guided navigation since 1798 and remains one of only two surviving eighteenth-century lighthouses in the state. Designed by John McComb, Jr., it was established with unusual speed: Congress funded it in March 1798, land was bought in June, President John Adams approved construction in July, and the light first shone on January 1, 1799. Over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the station was repeatedly upgraded as technology changed, including improved lamps and reflectors, a major renovation with brick lining and a steam fog signal, electrification, and eventual automation. Its long service and rarity led to National Register listing in 1973.