Greens Ledge Lighthouse in Norwalk, CT: From Pirates to Preservation

Rising defiantly from the waters off Norwalk Harbor, Greens Ledge Lighthouse is more than just a navigational aid. From a pirate’s grim fate to hurricane survival to heroic rescues, it stands as a piece of living history.

A Pirate’s Fate and a Lighthouse’s Birth

The legend of Greens Ledge begins in the late 1600s with a pirate named Green, a supposed comrade of the infamous Captain Kidd. As the story goes, when authorities finally captured Green, they executed him and chained his body to the reef as a warning to would-be buccaneers. Whether fact or fiction, the ominous reputation stuck.

Fast forward to the 19th century, when Norwalk’s booming shipbuilding and fishing industries demanded better navigation. In 1896, the Lighthouse Board recommended placing a beacon on Greens Ledge to warn sailors of the treacherous shoals stretching from Sheffield Island. After Congress approved $60,000 in funding, construction began in 1900, and in 1902, Greens Ledge Lighthouse was officially lit—casting its first warning flash into the dark waters of Long Island Sound.

Survival Against the Odds

Life as a lighthouse keeper was far from glamorous, and Greens Ledge had its fair share of drama.

In 1910, Keeper John Kiarskon abandoned his post, took his assistant’s paycheck, and vanished on a drinking binge. His assistant, Leroy Loughborough, was left alone to maintain the light. As fog set in for four relentless days, Loughborough manned the fog signal without sleep, running out of food until he and his dog, Sadie, shared their last meal. His eventual rescue came just in time—he was found unconscious near the fog signal, with Sadie faithfully curled up beside him.

Another near-tragic moment came in 1917, when Assistant Keeper Frank Thompson became trapped in an ice field while rowing back to the lighthouse. Drifting toward the open sea, Thompson was rescued after a harrowing 10-hour ordeal, thanks to a quick-thinking South Norwalk resident who alerted authorities.

Then came the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. With winds exceeding 125 mph and waves crashing up to the fifth-story window, Greens Ledge Light faced its toughest battle yet. The storm obliterated the nearby Roton Point Amusement Park, but thanks to 30,000 tons of granite reinforcement—sourced from the excavation of Radio City Music Hall—the lighthouse stood strong.

World War II and Automation

During World War II, Greens Ledge took on an unexpected role—becoming a coastal surveillance outpost. The U.S. Coast Guard stationed personnel at the lighthouse to monitor Long Island Sound for enemy submarines and enforce wartime blackouts.

By 1972, the lighthouse was fully automated, eliminating the need for resident keepers. Though now unmanned, the lighthouse continued its watch over Norwalk’s waters.

The Fight to Save Greens Ledge

By the early 2000s, decades of saltwater exposure and neglect had left Greens Ledge Lighthouse in dire condition. In 2016, the U.S. government auctioned it off, and for $150,000, the Pettee family became its new owners. Rather than keeping it private, they donated the lighthouse to the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, which launched an ambitious $2 million restoration project.

By 2022, the most significant renovation in its history was completed, ensuring that Greens Ledge Light will stand strong for generations to come. Today, the lighthouse is poised to welcome visitors once again, offering a glimpse into its past and a chance to stand where keepers once braved the elements.