Black Rock Harbor Light

Black Rock Harbor Light marks the entrance to Black Rock Harbor on the south end of Fayerweather Island in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It stands as an octagonal tower rising from a fieldstone basement and is constructed of granite rubble and brownstone blocks, capped with a balcony and lantern that today hosts a decorative solar light.

The original light employed eight lamps with fourteen‑inch parabolic reflectors, while the present fixture uses a solar‑powered decorative source. The tower’s stone construction replaced an earlier wooden tower that stood at the same site.

The first lighthouse was erected in 1808 under contract with the United States government and was lit that year. A storm damaged the wooden structure in 1821, prompting the construction of the current stone tower, which was lit in 1823. The beacon served as an active aid to navigation until it was deactivated in 1932. The property was transferred to the City of Bridgeport in 1934, and extensive restorations in the 1980s and 1990s culminated in the light’s relighting in 2000 as a non‑navigational aid. The lighthouse is managed by the City of Bridgeport and is listed as a contributing property in Bridgeport’s Seaside Park historic district.