Sheffield Island Light

Infobox nrhp
name = Sheffield Island Light
nrhp_type =


caption =
location = Norwalk, Connecticut
lat_degrees = 41
lat_minutes = 2
lat_seconds = 55.61
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 73
long_minutes = 25
long_seconds = 8.93
long_direction = W
locmapin = Connecticut
area =
built = 1868
architect = Unknown
architecture =
added = February 19, 1989
governing_body = Norwalk Seaport Association
mpsub =
refnum = 88003222cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-06-05|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

Sheffield Island Light is an historic Connecticut, USA, lighthouse located at the southern end of the Norwalk Islands on the west entrance of the Norwalk River on northern Long Island Sound.

The island, at the time known as "White Island", was purchased by Captain Robert Sheffield in 1804 for $6000. In 1826 Gershom Smith, Sheffield's son in law, sold 4 of the island's convert|53|acre|ha at the southwest point to the United States government for the purpose of building a lighthouse. Smith would serve as the first keeper for the light which was completed in 1828. At the time the island was known as Smith Island. The first light originally ran on oil.

In 1857 the light was upgraded to a fourth-order Fresnel lens. The original convert|30|ft|m tower was replaced by a Victorian style limestone (masonry) dwelling, with a convert|44|ft|m high light tower in the gable, in 1868. The Fresnel lens from 1857 was moved into the new structure and with a focal plane convert|51|ft|m above water it was visible for more than convert|12|mi|km. The lighthouse is of the same design as lighthouses at Great Captain Island and Morgan Point in Connecticut; Old Field Point Light and Plum Island in New York; and Block Island North in Rhode Island.cite web|url=http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=782
title=Great Captain Island Lighthouse, Connecticut at Lighthousefriends.com|accessdate=2006-08-21]

Greens Ledge Light was built to the west of Sheffield in 1900 and was better located to warn ships of the rocks and shoals on the approach to Sheffield Island harbor and Norwalk harbor. Sheffield Island Light was then deactivated in 1902.cite web|url=http://www.uscg.mil/history/weblighthouses/LHCT.asp|publisher=United States Coast Guard|title=Connecticut Light Stations|accessdate=2008-06-20] . In 1987 the 118 year old structure was purchased by the Norwalk Seaport Association for renovation and restoration. In 1989 the lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1993 an electric generator was added to the structure, but in the fall a great storm flooded the basement of the building and artefacts were lost or destroyed. In 2002 the Seaport association started ferry service to the island, which is still running.cite web|url=http://www.seaport.org/sheffield_island.htm|title=Sheffield Island Lighthouse and Nature Trail|publisher=Norwalk Seaport Association|accessdate=2008-06-01]

References

*Crompton, Samuel Willard. "The Lighthouse Book." Barnes and Noble Books, New York, 1999. ISBN 0-7607-1135-6.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.seaport.org Norwalk Seaport Association] , which runs the lighthouse