Stratford Shoal Lighthouse

New England Lighthouse Wallpaper Guide to

Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light

Lightship established: 1837 (1); Lighthouse First Lit: Dec 15, 1877; Automated: 1970
Aid No. 21260/J0812 at Position: N 41° 03.6', W 73° 06.08' Nautical Chart
Stratford Shoal Middle Ground, 6 miles offshore from Point No Point, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Public Access:

Characteristic:

Original optic:
Present optic:

Day-mark:

Tower Height:

Fog signal:

First Keeper:

Current Use:

No, Best Viewed by private boat

Fl W 5s [Flashing White every 5 seconds] (2)

Fourth-order Fresnel Lens - 1877 (3);
190 mm Lens, solar powered

Natural Granite Octagonal Tower with White Lantern

35 feet; Height of focal plane: 60 feet; Range: 13 nautical miles

One Blast every 15 seconds (2s bli); RACON: Y(-.--) (4)

William McGloin, transferred Dec 4, 1877 from Lightship LV 15

Active aid to navigation, U.S. Coast Guard

- Existing 2-story Gothic Revival Granite 1877 Keeper’s House with attached Tower -

National Register of Historic Places - #89001477
Stratford Shoal Lighthouse

Notes:
(1) In 1872, the Light House Board authorized a Lighthouse to replace the aging Lightship LV 15 built in 1837 and First Lit January 12th 1838 to mark the dangerous Stratford Shoal Middle Ground.

In 1614, the 6 to 10-foot deep shoal was charted as two islands by Adrian Block. Within 100 years, the sea eroded the low-lying land to form a three-quarter mile long shoal.

Construction of a Granite foundation began in 1874 and was completed in 1876 due to several delays caused by the weather. Riprap was used to form a circle around the foundation.

The Lighthouse was built for a Head keeper and two assistants with a kitchen, dining room, and sitting room located on the first floor. Five bedrooms were located on the second floor with iron spiral staircase leading to the Lantern room.
Five thousand tons of Granite were used to build the Light Station and foundation completed in 1877. The Lighthouse is similar in design to Race Rock Lighthouse.

(2) The original Characteristic was Flashing White every 10 seconds.

In 1912, the illuminate was changed from oil to Incandescent Oil Vapor, 40,000cp.

(3) In 1905, the original Fourth-order Fresnel Lens was refitted with a new Fourth-order Fresnel Lens.

In 1988, the optic was changed to 300 mm Lens and 3 amp Lamp, Fl W 6s.

(4) The original 1879 Fog signal was a 1,144 pound Bell, Stevens striker.

1883 Fog signal: second-class Daboll trumpet, blast 6 seconds every 21 seconds
1891 Fog signal: third-class Daboll trumpet
1932 Fog signal: first-class siren, 2 sec blast every 13 seconds

In 1932, a Radiobeacon was installed.