[1][2] An historic granite lighthouse originally built in 1869 sits at the site, but no longer serves as an active aid to navigation.

But in 1916, an order came down and the keeper at Plum Island Light was informed that purchasing supplies at Fort Terry was no longer allowed.

[5] Starting in 2000, the East End Lighthouses group (distinct from the Seaport Museum organization) was formed and has been working since that time with various government agencies to refurbish, and to hopefully eventually relight, the Plum Island light as an active aid to navigation.

[5] The Archives Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has a collection (#1055) of souvenir postcards of lighthouses and has digitized 272 of these and made them available online.

These include postcards of Plum Island Light [8] with links to customized nautical charts provided by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.