Greens Ledge Light
Encyclopedia
Greens Ledge Lighthouse is a sparkplug lighthouse
in Connecticut
,
United States, off the southwest end of the Norwalk Islands
, Long Island Sound
, near Norwalk
, Connecticut
. It is on north side of the west end of Greens Ledge, west of Norwalk Harbor
a mile south of the entrance to Five Mile River at Rowayton, and just over a mile southwest of Sheffield Lighthouse.
" style lighthouse replaced the Sheffield Island Light
. At first it had a fifth order Fresnel lens
. Three months after it was first lit, it was upgraded to a fourth order Fresnel lens. The 52 feet (15.8 m) tower developed a tilt over time and the keepers also complained the station’s generators caused the furniture to move to one side of the tower. They solved the problem by keeping all the furniture on one side. The light was automated by the United States Coast Guard
in 1972. The light is an active aid to navigation and is not open to the public.
Since 1935, swimmers have been competing annually in the Arthur J. Ladrigan Swim Race, a one-mile (1.6 km) race from the lighthouse to Bayley Beach in the Rowayton
section of Norwalk.
The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as Greens Ledge Lighthouse on May 29, 1990, reference number 89001468.
Greens Ledge Lighthouse was also featured in the movie The Thomas Crown Affair
in the scene when Pierce Brosnan
capsizes his catamaran.
Sparkplug lighthouse
A sparkplug lighthouse, sometimes known as a bug light, is a type of caisson lighthouse so named because of its shape. Generally speaking, a sparkplug lighthouse consists of a three-story living area, with the lantern on top; the whole is then placed upon a concrete or metal caisson. The...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
,
United States, off the southwest end of the Norwalk Islands
Norwalk Islands
The Norwalk Islands are a chain of more than 25 islands amid partly submerged boulders, reefs and mudflats along a six-mile stretch and mostly about a mile off the coast of Norwalk, Connecticut and southwest Westport, Connecticut, in Long Island Sound.The islands are used for several different...
, 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...
, near Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It is on north side of the west end of Greens Ledge, west of Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor
Norwalk Harbor is a recreational and commercial harbor and seaportat the estuary of the Norwalk River where it flows into Long Island Soundin Norwalk, Connecticut, United States.The last portion of the Norwalk River from the head of navigation...
a mile south of the entrance to Five Mile River at Rowayton, and just over a mile southwest of Sheffield Lighthouse.
History
When it was built in 1902, the "sparkplugSparkplug lighthouse
A sparkplug lighthouse, sometimes known as a bug light, is a type of caisson lighthouse so named because of its shape. Generally speaking, a sparkplug lighthouse consists of a three-story living area, with the lantern on top; the whole is then placed upon a concrete or metal caisson. The...
" style lighthouse replaced the Sheffield Island Light
Sheffield Island Light
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....
. At first it had a fifth order Fresnel lens
Fresnel 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...
. Three months after it was first lit, it was upgraded to a fourth order Fresnel lens. The 52 feet (15.8 m) tower developed a tilt over time and the keepers also complained the station’s generators caused the furniture to move to one side of the tower. They solved the problem by keeping all the furniture on one side. The light was automated 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...
in 1972. The light is an active aid to navigation and is not open to the public.
Since 1935, swimmers have been competing annually in the Arthur J. Ladrigan Swim Race, a one-mile (1.6 km) race from the lighthouse to Bayley Beach in the Rowayton
Rowayton, Connecticut
Rowayton is a section of Norwalk, Connecticut. Located on the Long Island Sound just 45 miles from New York City, Rowayton is a coastal New England village...
section of Norwalk.
The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Greens Ledge Lighthouse on May 29, 1990, reference number 89001468.
Greens Ledge Lighthouse was also featured in the movie The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair is either of two films:* The Thomas Crown Affair , a 1968 film starring Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway* The Thomas Crown Affair , a 1999 remake of the 1968 film, starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo...
in the scene when Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE is an Irish actor, film producer and environmentalist. After leaving school at 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration, but trained at the Drama Centre in London for three years...
capsizes his catamaran.
External links
- http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=hhphoto&fileName=ct/ct0600/ct0643/photos/browse.db&action=browse&recNum=0&title2=Green's%20Ledge%20Lighthouse,%20Long%20Island%20Sound,%20Norwalk%20vicinity,%20Fairfield%20County,%20CT&displayType=1&itemLink=D?hh:4:./temp/~ammem_IXED:: Library of Congress photographs of Greens Ledge Lighthouse, page 1 of 2