 Penfield Reef Light in 2019 | |
 | |
| Location | Fairfield County, US |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°07′01″N 73°13′19″W / 41.117°N 73.222°W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1874  |
| Construction | granite (caisson), wood (tower), granite (lighthouse keeper's house) |
| Automated | 1971 |
| Height | 35 ft (11 m) |
| Shape | octagon |
| Markings | white (tower), black (lantern) |
| Power source | solar power |
| Operator | United States Coast Guard |
| Heritage | National Register of Historic Places listed place |
| Fog signal | 1 blast every 15s. |
| Light | |
| Focal height | 51 ft (16 m) |
| Lens | fourth order Fresnel lens (–Unknown), VRB-25 (Unknown–) |
| Range | 15 nmi (28 km; 17 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl R 6s |
Penfield Reef Lighthouse | |
| Location | Bridgeport, Connecticut |
| Area | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Operating Lighthouses in Connecticut MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001473[1] |
| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1990 |
Penfield Reef Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Connecticut, United States, on Penfield Reef at the south side of Black Rock Harbor entrance on the Long Island Sound, off the coast of Fairfield, Connecticut.[2][3][4][5][6] Constructed in 1874, it was one of the last offshore masonry lights. Most offshore lights built after this were cast iron towers built on cylindrical cast iron foundations.
Penfield Reef has been called one of the most treacherous areas of western Long Island Sound.[7] The structure is about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) off Fairfield Beach, on one end of the reef.
After discovering structural problems in the tower, The Coast Guard repaired the lighthouse in 2002. The repairs, which also made the lighthouse weathertight, were designed by engineer Claudio Polselli, of the Coast Guard's Civil Engineering Unit Providence. As part of an unsuccessful proposal to assume ownership of the lighthouse, the Town of Fairfield, CT prepared a condition report in 2011 for the structure. The lighthouse foundation, structure and roofs were in good condition, according to the report, but the walkway around the lantern was in need of repairs. Other problems included asbestos tiles on the floor, lead paint on the walls, mold in some areas and decaying brick and mortar work in the basement. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy severely damaged and flooded the lighthouse, displacing windows, doors, siding and roofing.
Penfield Reef is one of several lighthouses built in the Second Empire style, with a wood frame tower integrated into the keeper's dwelling. The lighthouse consists of a 1-1/2 story keeper's quarters with a mansard roof, with a wood frame tower built into the roof framing. The dwelling is built of granite ashlar with brick back up, and heavy timber framing. Iron flat plates are anchored into the granite at spaced intervals to reinforce the walls. The foundation system is a cylindrical granite block caisson with a concrete core, surrounded by ledge. [1]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
nriswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Connecticut". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
- ^ Connecticut Historic Light Station Information & Photography United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 22 June 2016
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
cgllwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
cghistwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ The lighthouse is in the coastal waters of Bridgeport but the nearest land mass is in Fairfield.
- ^ [1] Archived 2006-05-13 at the Wayback Machine D'Entremont, Jeremy, "Connecticut’s Penfield Reef Light: No Longer Ghostly" article at Lighthouse Digest at the "Lighthouse Depot" Web site, accessed July 18, 2007