Built in 1869, this historic lighthouse stands on North Brother Island in New York City’s East River, between the Bronx and Rikers Island. The light guided vessels through the treacherous Hell Gate passage for decades before being deactivated. The island is perhaps best known as the quarantine site for “Typhoid Mary” Mallon and the location of the tragic 1904 General Slocum steamship disaster.

Today, North Brother Island is abandoned and off-limits to the public — visitors cannot access the lighthouse or climb the tower. The overgrown ruins make for haunting photography, best captured by boat during golden hour in autumn. Nearby attractions include Randall’s Island Park and the Bronx waterfront greenways.

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