Falkner Island Light

The lighthouse stands on Falkner Island, a crescent‑shaped island off Guilford Harbor in Long Island Sound, about five miles south of Guilford, Connecticut. It serves as an active aid to navigation in the United States.

The tower is an octagonal structure topped with a balcony and lantern. The focal height of the light is 28.7 m above sea level. The present light source is a VLB‑44 beacon. Historically (1840) it used nine lamps with 16‑inch reflectors.

Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson, the lighthouse was constructed in 1802 by Abisha Woodward. It is the second oldest surviving lighthouse in Connecticut and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The original keeper’s house built in 1802 was replaced in 1851 and again in 1871; the 1871 house burned in 1976. The United States Coast Guard repaired the tower and automated the light in 1978. A volunteer organization, the Faulkner’s Light Brigade, began restoration work in 1991 and completed a major restoration in March 2011.

The light remains active and is maintained jointly by the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and the Faulkner’s Light Brigade. Access to Falkner Island and the light is restricted each year from May through August during the roseate tern nesting season.

Light and tower

The light has a focal height of 28.7 metres. It was automated in 1978. Its recorded status is active.