The scene was discovered around 9:40 a.m. on Saturday by a Westchester County Parks employee. Upon arriving at the property, the employee found broken window glass, smoke, and other signs of property damage.
The Sleepy Hollow Fire Department put out a small fire that was still burning.
Westchester County Police patrol officers turned the investigation over to detectives in the General Investigations Unit.
Initial damages included significant fire damage to the first floor, multiple broken windows on the first and second floors, and the destruction of many items, including valuable antiques, furniture, and other historical artifacts. Investigators found 35 antique books strewn across the floor.
An initial estimate places damages at about $100,000, though that number could increase as the investigation unfolds.
The Tarrytown Lighthouse, which recently underwent a lengthy $3.4 million renovation, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The beloved landmark was built in 1883 to aid local steamships attempting to navigate perilous shoals along the Hudson River, according to the Westchester Parks Department and the Village of Sleepy Hollow.
"The Tarrytown Lighthouse is one of our County's most iconic and cherished landmarks," County Executive Ken Jenkins said. "This was a truly despicable act, and we will do everything we can to identify those responsible and bring them to justice."
No arrests have been made yet.
Detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward, and the local Parks Department has suspended all scheduled public tours of the lighthouse, which is in Kingsland Point Park.
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