Within a year of its construction in 1796, the Montauk Lighthouse was already attracting tourists to East Hampton. By the mid-19th century, steamships and railroads were taking visitors to see the magnificent beaches and stay in the boarding houses. The smaller East Hampton communities, such as Montauk, Amagansett, and Wainscott, also became favored locations for people escaping the heat of the cities, and they remain highly sought-after destinations today.