The Sights of Montauk

In recent years Montauk has become thought of as a drinking and party town. But the fact is that Montauk, just in and of itself, from the Lighthouse to Napeague, is a wonderland 20 miles long of history and beauty. From Ditch Plains and the surfers to the Montauk Lighthouse ordered built by George Washington, from the Montauk Manor castle high on the hill to the old Montauk Fishing Village, one can spend a full weekend enjoying the great natural history, the dunes and the beaches, the hills and the cliffs and, in addition, all the exciting works of man brought here over the centuries.

CARL FISHER BIG BUILDING
Facing the plaza in the very center of Montauk is this great big, six-story skyscraper in a field. Somebody must have had big plans for the town way back when, but they went awry. I did this from far away so it looks small in the background but it really is very big.

RADAR TOWER
What’s with the radar tower? It’s in a park called Camp Hero. So who was the big hero?

MONTAUK LIGHTHOUSE
This is the big favorite thing to see in Montauk. George Washington said it should be built here. Keeps the ships from foundering on the rocks. Many shipwrecks happened anyway.

FISHING VILLAGE SHARK
Montauk Fishing Village is world famous. They catch record-setting bass, bluefish, tuna and sharks here, except this one is plastic. Otherwise if they left it up all weekend like this it would smell. Lots of boats for charter. I get seasick though.

MONTAUK MANOR
Big castle high on a hill. Looks like something they’d build in Europe. I took this picture from the railroad station. Big sign. Little castle. Get it?

DITCH WITCH
Ditch Plains, where this food truck is, serves as one of the big surfing spots on the east coast. Many surfing competition are held here. Ditch Witch is famous all by itself, almost as famous as the Lighthouse. See all the bicycles?

DEEP HOLLOW RANCH
This is the oldest ranch in the United States, they say. Lots of good horses, many of which you can ride if you want.

SECOND HOUSE
This is the second house ever built in Montauk. So they called it that. I had my finger over the camera though, so it didn’t come out.