Block Island Southeast Light
Encyclopedia
Block Island Southeast Light is a lighthouse
located on the southeastern shore of Block Island
, Rhode Island
. The lighthouse signals sea traffic coming from the Atlantic Ocean
into the waters of Block Island and Long Island Sound
, and remains an active navigational aid to sea vessels. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
in 1997.
approved $75,000 in funding for the project 2 years prior. Construction was completed in 1875 by T.H. Tynan of Staten Island
. The original station was built in the Victorian Gothic style with a 67 feet (20 m) tall octagonal light tower. Connected to the tower is a 2- 1/2 story keepers residence.
that has a focal plane 52.5 feet (16 m) above ground (258 feet (79 m) above sea level). The tower originally contained a white light until 1929, when it was replaced with a green light with a range of 22 miles (35 km). This light was 12 feet (4 m) high by 6 feet (2 m) wide and stayed in service until 1990, when it was replaced by the United States Coast Guard
over environmental concerns stemming from its use of mercury
. In 1994 the Coast Guard agreed to relight the lighthouse and relocated the lens in the Cape Lookout Lighthouse
in North Carolina
to the Southeast Lighthouse. The lens is flashed every five seconds.
have suffered continuous erosion
, and the edge of the cliff gradually approached the established site of Block Island Southeast Light. The lighthouse was originally placed 300 feet (91 m) from the edge of the Mohegan Bluffs, but in 1993 was moved back 360 feet (110 m) because the bluffs had eroded roughly 250 feet (76 m).
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
located on the southeastern shore of Block Island
Block Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The lighthouse signals sea traffic coming from the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
into the waters of Block Island and Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
, and remains an active navigational aid to sea vessels. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1997.
Construction
Construction on the lighthouse began in 1874, after Congress and President Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
approved $75,000 in funding for the project 2 years prior. Construction was completed in 1875 by T.H. Tynan of Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. The original station was built in the Victorian Gothic style with a 67 feet (20 m) tall octagonal light tower. Connected to the tower is a 2- 1/2 story keepers residence.
Lens
The station includes a first-order Fresnel lensFresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
that has a focal plane 52.5 feet (16 m) above ground (258 feet (79 m) above sea level). The tower originally contained a white light until 1929, when it was replaced with a green light with a range of 22 miles (35 km). This light was 12 feet (4 m) high by 6 feet (2 m) wide and stayed in service until 1990, when it was replaced by the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
over environmental concerns stemming from its use of mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
. In 1994 the Coast Guard agreed to relight the lighthouse and relocated the lens in the Cape Lookout Lighthouse
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is a 163-foot high lighthouse located on the Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina. It flashes every 15 seconds and is visible at least 12 miles out to sea and up to 19 miles. The Cape Lookout Light is one of the very few lighthouses that operate during the day. It...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to the Southeast Lighthouse. The lens is flashed every five seconds.
Bluff erosion
The Mohegan BluffsThe Mohegan Bluffs
The Mohegan Bluffs are large clay cliffs about high, located on the southern shore of Block Island. They got their name because the battle of the Niantic and the Mohegan took place here in the mid 16th century...
have suffered continuous erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
, and the edge of the cliff gradually approached the established site of Block Island Southeast Light. The lighthouse was originally placed 300 feet (91 m) from the edge of the Mohegan Bluffs, but in 1993 was moved back 360 feet (110 m) because the bluffs had eroded roughly 250 feet (76 m).