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Greens Ledge Lighthouse

Fl WR 12s🇺🇸Connecticut, USOperational

Completed in 1902, this concrete lighthouse stands 52 meters tall with a focal height of 19 meters. Its red and white striped, round tower is a distinctive sight in the western Long Island Sound. The light emits an alternating flashing white pattern, visible for 14 nautical miles. The structure is one of the few remaining sparkplug lighthouses in the United States. Additional riprap, sourced from the excavation of Radio City Music Hall, was added to its foundation in 1933.

Why it matters: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Greens Ledge Lighthouse serves as an active aid to navigation in western Long Island Sound.

Background
Greens Ledge Lighthouse (also known as Greens Ledge Light, or Rowayton Lighthouse) is a historic offshore lighthouse in the western Long Island Sound near Norwalk, Connecticut and Darien, Connecticut. It is one of 33 sparkplug lighthouses still in existence in the United States and remains an active aid to navigation. It sits in ten feet of water on the west end of Greens Ledge, a shallow underwater reef that runs a mile west of Sheffield Island and is roughly a mile south of the entrance to Five Mile River at Rowayton. Completed in 1902 by the Philadelphia Construction Company, the cast-iron structure is approximately 90 feet tall including roughly 15 feet of the submerged caisson. In 1933, more than 30,000 tons of rocks from the excavation of Radio City Music Hall were added to the riprap foundation. The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Greens Ledge Lighthouse on May 29, 1990. In 2017, Greens Ledge was acquired from the US Government by the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established by a group of local residents with the mission of restoring and preserving the lighthouse. The acquisition was made through a founding donation by The Pettee Family and restoration began in June 2018 to address the critical structural deficiencies of the lighthouse.
Characteristic Signature
Fl WR 12s
Flash Type
Flashing
Light Color
WR
Flash Count
1 flash
Interval
12s
Raw Code
Al.Fl
Focal Height
19m
Geographic Range
14NM
Year Built
1902
Heritage Status
National Register of Historic Places listed place
Admiralty No.
J0866
USCG No.
1-21340
ARLHS No.
USA-355
Wikidata
Q5604423
OpenStreetMap
View on OSM →
Tower Height
52m
Tower Shape
round
Tower Color
red;white
Material
concrete
City
Connecticut
Country
🇺🇸US
Latitude
41.0416°
Longitude
-73.4439°
Flag
Type
Name
Dist.
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How do mariners identify Greens Ledge Lighthouse at night?+
Greens Ledge displays the characteristic Fl WR 12s — 1 wr flash every 12 seconds. Each lighthouse has a unique flash pattern published in the List of Lights, allowing mariners to positively identify it and distinguish it from other navigation aids in the area. The wr color may indicate a specific sector or warning zone.
Which ports and harbors does Greens Ledge Lighthouse guide vessels into?+
Greens Ledge Lighthouse assists vessels approaching 5 nearby ports. The closest is DARIEN at 1.8 NM to the W. Other ports served include Purchase (2 NM ESE), NORWALK COVE (3.4 NM NE), SOUTH NORWALK (3.6 NM NNE), STAMFORD (4 NM W). Mariners should consult the relevant chart for full approach and pilotage information.
Is Greens Ledge Lighthouse still active and maintained?+
Yes, Greens Ledge Lighthouse is currently operational. It is actively maintained and continues to emit its characteristic light signal for marine navigation. Most modern lighthouses are automated and monitored remotely by the national maritime authority.
What shipping routes pass near Greens Ledge Lighthouse?+
Greens Ledge Lighthouse is located within the US East Coast shipping lane — a major shipping corridor serving ports along the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. This makes it an important navigation reference for commercial shipping traffic in the region.
How can I track vessels near Greens Ledge Lighthouse?+
You can track vessels near Greens Ledge Lighthouse in real time using MarineRadar. The platform shows live AIS positions of ships in the area, including vessel name, type, flag, speed, and course. Use the "Track Vessels Nearby" button on this page to open the live map centered on this lighthouse.