Fayerweather Island Light
When people think of the city Bridgeport CT, typically their first thought is not lighthouses. However, the city is home to a stunning lighthouse that you can actually walk right up to! Fayerweather Island Lighthouse is a must visit if you’re ever in Fairfield County.
About
Fayerweather Island Light, also known as Black Rock Harbor Light, is a small lighthouse located in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The lighthouse sits on the south end of Fayerweather Island and marks the entrance to Black Rock Harbor.
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The original lighthouse was a forty-foot-tall octagonal wooden tower. This wooden lighthouse was built in 1808 on a nine-and-a-half-acre tract of land purchased from David Fayerweather. The property was only the second piece of land purchased for a lighthouse in Western Long Island Sound.
On September 3, 1821, a hurricane knocked down the original structure. After the first one was destroyed by the storm, they built the one that is there today in 1823. The lighthouse stands at 47 feet tall and is constructed out of coursed sandstone ashlar with rubble mortar. It has withstood all of the storms that have come through in the last 200 years.
In the 125 years that Black Rock Harbor Light was in operation, the station only had nine keepers.
Getting To Fayerweather Island Light
Access to Fayerweather Island Light is from Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This park is best accessed via I-95. From I-95, take Exit 27B To Trans. Center and the Long Island Ferry. The park is about a mile off of the exit on Barnum Drive.
When you enter the park, follow the road along the beached areas all the way to the end. This is the best spot to park to visit Black Rock Harbor Light. Once you’ve parked, head towards the rock levee. This will be your access point to the lighthouse.
While the stones are big, be sure to watch your footing as you walk. There are some pretty large gaps between some of the rocks. Don’t be discouraged though, there were children and older people walking to the lighthouse. Just make sure you’re careful to avoid injury!
As you get closer to the lighthouse, you’ll be able to get off of the rocky levee and walk on to the sandy beach or grass. I opted to get off of the levee as soon as possible because I am a bit clumsy. I felt safer on even ground!
Visiting The Lighthouse
For me, the best part about this lighthouse is the fact that you can walk right up to it! I am a sucker for lighthouses. Small or large, I’m always down to view or visit a lighthouse.
When I went to this lighthouse, I was excited to see an Osprey nest on the top of the beacon! While I didn’t actually see any Ospreys during my visit, it was still cool to see that they built a nest on the tip of Black Rock Harbor Lighthouse!
Why Visit Fayerweather Island Lighthouse
If you’re ever in Fairfield County, it’s absolutely worth the trip to Seaside Park to see this beautiful New England lighthouse. Nestled along Long Island Sound, this structure not only has a lot of interesting history attached to it, but you can also go right up to this piece of living history!
FAQs
This charming Connecticut lighthouse is located in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Fayerweather Island in Black Rock Harbor. To access the lighthouse, you can go to Seaside Park. Thankfully, you don’t need a boat to access this island lighthouse!
Yes. During the season and regular hours, you’ll have to buy a day pass to get into the park. It costs more for out-of-state visitors to get into the park and on weekends and holidays, the price goes up. The park is 325 acres though, so you can absolutely make the most out of your day pass!
Dogs are allowed at the park where the lighthouse is. Just keep in mind that they are required to stay on a 6 foot leash and they’re not allowed on the beach.
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