Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program Connecticut Coastal Paddling Fairfield County Greenwich Great Captain Island Light
Site Location:
Basic Information: Great Captain Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse on
Great Captain Island in the western Long Island Sound off the coast of
Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. The lighthouse is no longer in
use. A single dirt road leads to the lighthouse on the
eastern side of the island, where most if the island's egrets tend to
nest. The Greenwich Department of Parks and Recreation oversees the island. Type: Lighthouse Water Type: Saltwater Season:
Site Contact Information:
Site Coordinates:
Longitude 73.372300
ºW Latitude
Location Map:
 USGS Quadrangle: Mamaroneck Navigational Charts:
Driving Directions:
Boat Launch Information:
ADA Access: Site Description: Environment: Lighthouse Additional Info:
Site History:
The original Great Captain Lighthouse was built in
1829. An inspection in 1838 revealed the stone tower had been poorly
constructed and the walls were already severely cracked. In 1858, a
fourth order Fresnel lens was installed. In 1867, it was determined a
new tower needed to be built and the new tower was completed in 1868.
The original Fresnel lens was installed in the new tower. The structure is of the same design as lighthouses
at Sheffield Island in Norwalk; Morgan Point in Connecticut; Old Field
Point Light and Plum Island in New York; and Block Island North in Rhode
Island. In 1970, a freestanding skeleton tower replaced the
light. A caretaker continued to live in the old lighthouse until 2003,
when it became too dilapidated. The lighthouse eventually fell victim to
vandals. In 1973, the town of Greenwich acquired the lighthouse and had
full time caretakers living in the light until 2003. In 1991 it was
added to the National Register of Historic Places. No public tours of the lighthouse or island are
available.
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