Hudson–Athens Lighthouse stands in the Hudson River between Hudson and Athens, closer to the Hudson shore, marking Middle Ground Flats and aiding navigation. Authorized by Congress in 1872 and built in 1873 and 1874, it was first lit on November 14, 1874, with Henry D. Best as keeper. Its design pairs a granite caisson built to withstand ice and debris with a Second Empire dwelling topped by a mansard roof. The lighthouse later received a fifth-order Fresnel lens, electricity, and automation. It also became an early preservation landmark, passing from Coast Guard lease to nonprofit ownership and now undergoing restoration.