Black Rock Harbor Lighthouse
(Fayerweather Island Light)
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Built in 1808
Location:
The lighthouse is at the southeast end of Fayerweather Island, connected by a mile long jetty from Seaside Park. Public access is allowed for a park fee.
| Latitude: 41° 08' 32" N |
| Longitude: 73° 13' 12" W |
Historic Stories:
Black Rock Harbor is sheltered by Fayerweather Island, which made the island an ideal place for a lighthouse to mark the harbor entrance in 1808.
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The first Keeper, John Maltbie was only at the lighthouse for five months until his death at the station. The lighthouse was destroyed in the 1821 hurricane, and replaced in 1823. The 47-foot stone tower has since survived for over 180 years. |
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Keeper Family with Great Genes
The lighthouse was tended predominantly by two generations of the Moore family for over 70 years. Catherine Moore, daughter of Keeper Stephen Moore, took over full duties of the lighthouse when her father became disabled in 1819. Her father still remained as keeper for over 50 years until 1871, as Catherine remained as his assistant and tended to most of the lighthouse duties until his death at the age of 100.
Catherine Moore was appointed keeper to secede her father when she was 66 years old, and remained at the station for an additional 7 years until 1878. She is credited with saving 21 lives, and lived to be 95 years old.
For more details on this story, select the link "Moore Family Keepers" Blog above to be directed to my Lighthouse Stories section.
In 1998, two Bridgeport natives, David Grant Grimshaw and Patricia Roche, restored the tower to its original condition with their fundraising efforts.
Places to Visit:
The city of Bridgeport offers plenty of diverse cultural events and rich history. The Barnum Museum is home of the world-famous circus impresario of the 19th century, PT Barnum. Visitors can also find the graves of P. T. (Phineas Taylor) Barnum, famous circus owner, and his famous circus performer, Tom Thumb (Charles Stratton) in Mountain Grove Cemetery. P.T. Barnum designed the cemetery for Bridgeport natives, himself, and Tom Thumb. He had Tom Thumb’s life size statue of 25 inches placed on a 40-foot granite obelisk.
Bridgeport provides visitors with a new sports and entertainment complex called the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard, with events happening year round, and the Shoreline Star, which provides greyhound and horse racing. The Downtown Cabaret Theater offers plenty of musical and theater events for all ages all year round. You can also bring your own food creations and have an indoor picnic as you enjoy the show.
The Beardsley Zoo offers fun for children and adults alike.
Captain’s Cove Seaport is a complex of buildings that includes an amusement center, a 400-seat restaurant, lots of specialty shops resembling a typical seaport village, and it promotes music festivals and events.
| Black Rock Harbor (Fayerweather Island) Light is connected by a mile-long breakwater from inside Seaside Park. |  |
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The hike is a great experience and along flat land, and will bring you right to the lighthouse tower. |
The parking fees to stay at the beach are a bit steep but the beach area is quite nice. It provides scenic views of the area with the beach area and park well maintained.
Nice views of the lighthouse can also be found by boat
Driving Directions
- From US Route I-95 South, take Exit 27 Lafayette Boulevard.
- Take Univ. of Bridgeport/Trans. Center ramp.
- Stay straight on South Avenue for about a quarter mile,
- Turn left onto Park Avenue.
- From US Route I-95 North, take Exit 27 Lafayette Boulevard.
- Turn right onto Myrtle Avenue.
- Turn right onto Railroad Avenue.
- Turn left onto Park Avenue 0.4 miles.
Alternate Route:
- Take Route US I-95 North through Fairfield, take Exit 25
- Take right at Iranistan Ave,
- Take right at South Ave onto P.T. Barnum Blvd to a parking area at the end of the beach.
- Leave a note of your intentions on your windshield to view the lighthouse (off season visits are easiest).
- Its a short walk along the breakwater to the lighthouse.
Contact Info:
City of Bridgeport
Fayerweather Island Restoration Fund
c/o Burroughs Community Center
2470 Fairfield Ave.
Bridgeport, CT 06605
(203) 334-0293
Local Boat Tour
Possibly due to the pandemic, some lighthouse tours that were originally offered in the Bridgeport region now remain unavailable. However, this will be updated should any lighthouse tours become available.
You should be able to view Black Rock Harbor Light from the water from various fishing charters and excursions offered by some local mariners that pass the lighthouse as they leave the harbor.
Books to Explore
To order a signed paperback copy: Available from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, amid positive social and political changes, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships. They were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies. This book, with plenty of black and white and color images, provides historical accounts of each of these mighty sailing marvels. Stories involve competitions, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, accidents and collisions, the Great War, and their final voyages. |
My 300-page book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, like the Moore family of keepers mentioned above, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, various tours, and even stories of haunted lighthouses. Look inside! |
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