Greens Ledge Lighthouse
Norwalk, Connecticut
Built in 1902
Location:
On a rocky reef southwest of Sheffield Island offshore from Norwalk, CT.
Latitude: 41° 02' 30" N
Longitude: 73° 26' 38" W
Historic Stories:
| Greens Ledge Lighthouse, built in 1902 sits atop an isolated reef southwest of Sheffield Island, a few miles offshore from Norwalk Harbor. |  Early Greens Ledge Light Courtesy US Coast Guard |
Keeper's Greed Ends in Tragedy
The lighthouse has a sad story in its history involving the greed of one keeper destroying the health of his assistant.
In 1910, Keeper John Kiarskon left for shore to get much needed supplies and pick up his and the Assistant Keeper’s (Leroy Loughborough) paychecks. Kiarskon, who had a drinking problem, decided to get greedy after leaving Assistant Keeper Loughborough at the lighthouse. He cashed both paychecks and went on a drinking binge, leaving his assistant at the lighthouse for 11 fogged in and stormy days. To survive, Loughborough was living on potatoes, dog biscuits, and boiled salt water.
During the constant foggy and stormy weather that was plaguing the area, Loughborough tried to keep the light burning during his ordeal as the days wore on. The engine was causing problems with the fog horn and Loughborough was spending much time trying to repair it while also mainting the light to keep it from going out. When he eventually passed out of exhaustion nearly 11 days later from trying to repair the engine, the light went out in the fog.
Local mariners notified the authorities, and the lighthouse tender Pansy was dispatched to investigate, where they found Loughborough unconscious. Keeper Kiarskon was immediately removed from his post but Loughborough never recovered from his ordeal. He died about a year later from tuberculosis.
One New England winter morning in 1917, Keeper Frank Thompson went ashore to get needed supplies. As he rowed back towards the lighthouse that afternoon, he became trapped amid monstrous ice floes from the tide that was taking him out to sea. One resident in South Norwalk witnessed the keeper in peril and quickly notified the lighthouse authorities. A tugboat was sent out with a crew to rescue the half frozen Thompson, and they finally found him late in the evening, and just in time before he perished from exposure that night.
Over the years the ground under the 62-foot structure shifted creating a slight tilt, which continued to worsen causing the keepers to place all furniture on the lower portion of the rooms.
| After the hurricane of September 1938 slammed against the lighthouse, it developed a tilt that remains today. |  |
In August 2016, Greens Ledge Light was put up for auction to the public and was sold a month later on September 15, 2016 for $150,000 to the Pettee family who wanted to be involved in preserving lighthouses. The family donated the lighthouse to a newly founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, as the organization began to raise funds and coordinate efforts for the restoration and preservation of the lighthouse that continue today.
Places to Visit Nearby:
Norwalk promotes many cultural events in the arts and music for its community and for tourists, including it’s own artists’ museum, the Norwalk Museum, and the Stepping Stones Museum nearby for children. The SONO Switch Tower Museum shows visitors how railroads used towers that house the mechanisms for switching trains from one track to another. Visit the Maritime Aquarium to view their aquatic exhibits.
Directions for a Distant View
- From Route US I-95 North, take Exit 12 to Tokeneke Road, Route 136.
- Stay on Route 136 and take a right onto Rowayton Ave,
- Bear left onto Pine Point Road, and follow to the right,
- Take a left at Gull Road, then right at Ensign Road
- Take Left at Crescent Beach Road where you’ll see the lighthouse off shore as you drive along the beach. You can also view Sheffield Island Light from a distance along the beach.
- Another view of the lighthouse can be seen from Bayley Beach traveling on Route 136 through the village of Rowayton just off Pine Point Road.
Contact Info:
Greens Ledge Preservation Society
PO Box 43, Rowayton, CT 06853
SaveGreensLedge@Gmail.com
Phone: (203) 939-9654
Local Boat Tours
Norwalk Seaport Association
Provides ferry access to Sheffield Island from Norwalk and tours of Sheffield Island Lighthouse. Also provides special Norwalk Harbor cruises to view Pecks Ledge Light and Greens Ledge Light, and view Sheffield Island Light from the boat during the summer.
4 North Water St
Norwalk, CT 06854
(203) 838-9444
Maritime Aquarium
In addition to marine life study, seals, birding, and TGIF cruises, they offer a 3-hour Greens Ledge Lighthouse Tour, aboard their research vessel the Spirit of the Sound. It is the first vessel in the nation with quiet hybrid-electric propulsion.
10 North Water Street
Norwalk, CT 06854
Phone: (203) 852-0700
Charter My Sea Ray
For those who are looking for a private personal charter experience along Long Island Sound. As part of their Lighthouses Tour, they provide a close up view of Greens Ledge Light, Pecks Ledge Light, and Sheffield Island Light.
144 Water St.
Norwalk, CT 06854
Email: chartermysearay@yahoo.com
Phone: (203) 943-6946
Books to Explore
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Look inside! |
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Available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
Enjoy a 10% discount on the hardcover version. Printed and distributed globally by IngramSpark. |
The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail 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 book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. |
