new haven light (5 mile point)

Five Mile Point, named for its distance from downtown New Haven, became the sight for a lighthouse in 1805, marking the entrance to New Haven Harbor. Mariners knew to give the light a berth of at least two miles to avoid a dangerous ledge to its southwest.

Completed in 1847, the new tower, painted white, stands 65 feet tall. The exterior is made of East Haven sandstone, the interior lined with New Haven brick, and the 74 steps leading to the lantern room are carved from solid granite. The new light, at a focal plane of 97 feet above sea, could be seen 10 nautical miles on a clear day, shining from a system of twelve lamps with 21-inch reflectors. The lamp system was upgraded to a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1855.   A two-story brick dwelling was built just north of the lighthouse and was connected to it by an enclosed wooden walkway. The dwelling still stands today, but the wooden passageway disappeared years ago.