Stratford Shoal Light is considered to be the most haunted lighthouse.
Most Haunted Lighthouse in Connecticut: Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Lighthouse
The Long Island Sound waterway along the New York and Connecticut boundaries contains one of the most treacherous waterways along the eastern seaboard. With its many islands and reefs, lighthouses needed to be built to aid mariners and shipping traffic from crashing on these rocky formations in stormy weather. Stratford Shoal Lighthouse, also referred to as Middle Ground Lighthouse or also spelled as “Middleground” light, is located on a rocky shoal roughly a mile in diameter, with most of it submerged nine feet below mean sea level midway between Stratford Point in Connecticut, and Long Island’s Old Field Point in New York. Although initially, the lighthouse was due to be completed around 1872, consistent severe weather delayed completion until it was lit in 1878, with a 60-foot granite tower to withstand these dramatic conditions. Two events have caused mariners to consider this beacon as haunted.
Church Bells Under Sea
Stratford Shoal Lighthouse, also known as Middle Ground Lighthouse
Before the lighthouse was built, the ship Trustful was ready to set sail out of Bridgeport with a load of church bells as a significant storm approached. As the seas started churning, some crew members talked about staying on land and abandoning the ship. The captain, notified of the event, told all crew members that the “bells would peel a dirge to the white livered folk” who stayed behind if the boat sank. The crew reluctantly stayed aboard, and, as almost a prophecy, the ship ran into the shoal and sank, drowning all aboard. Many mariners have claimed afterward that when approaching the shoal in inclement weather, the muffled sound of church bells can be heard beneath the waves.
The Suicidal Assistant Keeper
Middle Ground Lighthouse in Connecticut
Due to its isolated location, keepers sometimes would develop psychological issues. In 1905, Julius Koster, the second assistant keeper and a lighthouse rookie, was left behind with First Assistant Morrell Hulse while the head keeper went on vacation. There, Koster, who was mentally unstable, argued with Hulse and lunged at Hulse with a razor. Hulse avoided being cut and persuaded Koster to put away the razor. Koster locked himself into the lantern room with an axe a few days later. He then stopped the rotation of the light and threatened to smash it and kill himself. Once again, after hours of pleading, Hulse persuaded Koster to come out and talk with him.
Fearing for his safety and Koster’s, Hulse notified local authorities on shore for assistance before he caused more damage to himself or the lighthouse. Koster was taken off the island and transported to a sanitarium in New York, where he killed himself a few days later. Although Koster did not perish at the lighthouse, many believe his spirit appears around the lighthouse, throwing tantrums. Keepers and Coast Guardsmen have witnessed doors slamming in the middle of the night, chairs thrown against the walls, and posters ripped down. Hot water pans have also been observed being flung onto the floor from the stove.
Although the lighthouse was automated in 1969, local mariners who pass by still claim to hear lots of banging, grinding, and loud sounds as the ghost of Koster continues to throw tantrums.
Getting Out to Middle Ground (Stratford Shoal) Lighthouse
The lighthouse is not open to the public, and few boats go out due to its remote location in the middle of the Long Island Sound. Presently, there are no public boat tours out to this remote lighthouse.
The lighthouse can also be seen from the Port Jefferson-Bridgeport Ferry.
Books to Explore
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: Stories of the Six and Seven-Masted Coal Schooners of New England. In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies and measured longer than a football field! This self-published book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships.
Available also from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
Enjoy a 10% discount on the hardcover version. Printed and distributed by IngramSpark.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses. You can explore plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions, including whale-watching excursions, lighthouse tours, windjammer sailing tours, parks, museums, and even lighthouses where you can stay overnight. Like those at Stratford Shoal Lighthouse, you’ll also find stories of hauntings around lighthouses.
Book – Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions in Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. This 300-page book provides memorable human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses. It also describes and provides contact info for plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours. These include whale watching, lighthouse tours, unique parks, museums, and lighthouses where you can stay overnight. There are also stories of haunted lighthouses in these regions.
Book- New England Lighthouses: Famous Shipwrecks, Rescues & Other Tales
New England Lighthouses: Famous Shipwrecks, Rescues & Other Tales contains over 50 stories, including some ghost tales like the suicidal assistant keeper of Stratford Shoal Light. This image-rich book also contains vintage images provided by the Coast Guard and various organizations and paintings by six famous Coast Guard artists.
You can purchase this book and the lighthouse tourism books from the publisher Schiffer Books or in many fine bookstores such as Barnes and Noble.
Copyright © Allan Wood Photography; do not reproduce without permission. All rights reserved.
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