Greens Ledge Light, western Long Island Sound, Norwalk, Connecticut
Sparkplug style lighthouse built in 1902.
GREENS LEDGE LIGHT
Location: Southwest end of Norwalk Island, Long Island Sound, near Norwalk, Connecticut
Station Established: 1902
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1902
Operational? Yes
Automated? 1972
Deactivated: N/A
Foundation Materials: CAST IRON/CONCRETE CAISSON
Construction Materials: CAST IRON
Tower Shape: CONICAL
Markings/Pattern: UPPER WHITE, LOWER BROWN ON BLACK PIER
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPERATE
Original Lens: FOURTH ORDER FRESNEL LENS
Historical Information:
- Greens Ledge is a “sparkplug” style light.
- The light was built with a fifth order Fresnel lens. Three months after it began operating, it was upgraded to a fourth order lens.
- The light developed a tilt over time. The keepers also complained the station’s generators would cause the furniture to move to one side of the tower. To solve this problem, they kept the furniture on one side.
- The light was automated in 1972.
- The light is an active aid to navigation is not open to the public.
- In 1990 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Researched and written by Melissa Buckler, a Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Light House Society volunteer.