Built in 1849, the East Point Lighthouse guided boatmen into the mouth of the Maurice River about one half mile to the north. Its lantern sat atop a two story brick building, 48 feet above sea level, and was visible for about 7 miles. The light was first fueled by whale oil, stored in a nearby oil house and carried by the keeper up the stairs to the lantern room, until kerosene became available. Around 1910 it was converted to acetylene, ending the need for daily maintenance, and afterward a custodian lived there rent free and was paid $1 per year. It was decommissioned in 1941 at the start of World War II and stood abandoned until 1971, when the Maurice River Historical Society formed to protect and restore it. After trespassers set a fire in July 1971 that destroyed the roof and tower, the society repaired the damage through local fund-raising and volunteer help. On July 2, 1980, the US Coast Guard reinstalled an automatic beacon and returned it to active navigational service. Beginning in 1998, major exterior rehabilitation restored the lantern room, repointed the bricks, replaced the porch, windows, and shutters with accurate replicas, reinstalled the tower's rear window, and added waterproofing and fire and burglar alarms.