The Saugerties Lighthouse is 140 years old this year, built after the Civil War. As old as it is, it’s a young light compared to Colonial era lighthouses. What is the oldest lighthouse in the U.S.? Two lighthouses vie for this title. The first lighthouse built in America was the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island in 1716. However, the original tower was severely damaged by the British during the Revolutionary War and rebuilt in 1784. This makes Sandy Hook Lighthouse in NJ the oldest original lighthouse in America, built in 1764. Both are still in operation.