Location: Fisher's Island Sound in Long Island Sound, New York
Station established: 1871, Automated: 1978
Focal height 60 ft.
Owned: New London Maritime Society, 2013.
This wonderful granite lighthouse erected on a mostly submerged ledge at the western end of Fishers Island was completed in 1878 after seven years of amazing determination on the part of the engineers and builders, among these New London’s Captain T.A. Scott. Strong, fast currents at this location (hence the name The Race) and conflicting seas are the normal conditions here where Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound and Fishers Island Sound all meet. Due to the large losses in lives, ships and cargo on the ledge over the years it was decided that a lighthouse was essential regardless of the difficulty and expense in building it.
Appointed as Race Rock Lighthouse Keeper in 1880 Thomas A. Carroll would row his boat across Fishers Island Sound to Noank for supplies and to visit his family. In January of 1885 a severe storm blew in catching Mr. Carroll ashore. The storm lasted several days and finally the Keeper decided he could stay away from his duties at the lighthouse no longer. He was last seen alive rowing out through the powerful waves alone in his small boat.
The expense and difficulty in building traditional lighthouses in remote and submerged locations brought about the development of the cast-iron caisson foundation for use on such sites. Latimer Reef Lighthouse in Fishers Island Sound is a good example of this type. Race Rock Lighthouse was one of the very last traditional masonry lighthouses to be built in the United States in such a location. ≡
Lighthouse Keepers, per USLHS
William H. Wilcox Principal Lighthouse Keeper( -1914)
Francis B. Britland Principal Lighthouse Keeper( -1939)
Neil Martin Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1878-1882)
Joseph T. Adams Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1882-1891)
Christopher C. Culver Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1891-1898)
Elmer J. Rathbun Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1899)
Christopher C. Culver Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1901)
Harry B. Collins Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1901-1910)
Frank H. Card Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1911)
William B. Gilmore Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
John E. Miller Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1912)
Edmund B. Ryder Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1912-1913)
Robert H. Ebbitts Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1919-at least 1921)
Clarence J. Wright Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1922-1923)
Thomas A. Buckridge Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1923-1930)
Ernest Metiver Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1939-1943)
William O. Chapel Principal Lighthouse Keeper (1943-at least 1958)
William H. Hedges Principal Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1915-1919)
Gilbert Burke Principal Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1930- )
George H. Tooker Principal Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1931- )
D. A. Gullivan 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper( -1940)
John Shearer 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper( -1913)
Lars E. Larson 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper( -1915)
Louis Bendel 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper( -1916)
Joseph T. Adams 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1878-1882)
Thomas S. Carroll 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1882-1886)
John A. Weller 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1886-1886)
Moses G. Hill 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1886-1889)
John Hill 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1889-1896)
William R. Austin 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1896-1897)
Elmer J. Rathbun 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1897-1898)
Richard Curran 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1898)
Elmer J. Rathbun 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1899)
Richard Curran 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1899-1901)
Isaac G. Hoard 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1901-1902)
August Lorenz 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1902-1903)
George W. L'Hommedieu 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1903-1905)
Harry M. Benedict 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1905-1905)
Oskar Anderson 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1905-1905)
Thomas Lawson 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1905-1907)
Arthur W. Blish 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1907-1909)
Adolph Obman 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1909-1910)
J. F. Woods 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1909-1910)
John C. W. Porter 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1910)
Brewster S. Oldis 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1911)
Irvin C. Larkin 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
James J. Bryan 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
Joseph E. Sweeck 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1912)
John J. Sheridan 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
A. D. Bennett 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
George W. Denton 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1912- )
Frank P. Smith 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1915- )
John J. Morrell 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1919- )
Clarence J. Wright 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1921-1922)
Thomas H. Smith 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1922- )
Ernest F. Witty 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1930-1931)
Ernest Metiver 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1937-1939)
Arthur J. Minzner 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1940-1940)
Harry Schweppe 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1940- )
Albert L. Dube 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1941-1942)
Myron F. Westcott 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1942-1943)
Wallace W. Eddey 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1913- )
Robert H. Ebbitts 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1917-1919)
Gilbert Burke 1st Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1925- )
Thomas Brock 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1878-1881)
Thomas S. Carroll 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1881-1882)
John A. Weller 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1882-1886)
Moses G. Hill 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1886-1886)
Edward Fowler 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1886-1888)
Earl Nason 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1888-1889)
Nathan A. Chester 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1889-1890)
Oliver P. Crosby 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1890-1892)
William R. Austin 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1892-1896)
Elmer J. Rathbun 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1896-1897)
Richard Curran 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1897-1898)
Joseph J. Fuller 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1898)
Richard Curran 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1898-1899)
Isaac G. Hoard 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1899-1901)
August Lorenz 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1901-1902)
William F. Taylor 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1902-1902)
George W. L'Hommedieu 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1902-1903)
Joseph E. Taylor 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1903-1904)
Oscar A. Kroeger 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1904-1904)
Harry M. Benedict 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1904-1905)
Oskar Anderson 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1905-1905)
Thomas Lawson 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1905-1905)
George J. Thomas 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1906-1906)
Arthur W. Blish 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1906-1907)
Frank A. Smith 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1907-1907)
George A. Brown 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1907-1908)
Adolph A. Hansen 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1908-1908)
Adolph Obman 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1908-1909)
James P. Browning 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1909-1909)
J. F. Woods 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1909-1909)
John C. W. Porter 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1909-1910)
Brewster S. Oldis 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1910)
Harry A. Sawyer 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1910)
John J. Sheridan 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1910-1910)
William H. Wilcox 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1912)
Irvin C. Larkin 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
A. D. Bennett 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
James N. Kelch 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1911-1911)
George W. Denton 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1912-1912)
John Shearer 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1912- )
George Doige 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1913- )
William H. Tucker 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1914- )
Lars E. Lardon 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1914- )
William H. Hedges 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1914- )
Kenneth M. Fitz 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1915- )
Joseph Sandow 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1915- )
Harry Eide 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1915-1916)
Louis Bendel 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1916- )
James E. Smith 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1917- )
Charles Henri 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1919- )
Clarence J. Wright 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1920-1921)
Thomas H. Smith 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1921-1922)
Joseph Maynard 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1922- )
Thomas J. Pingley 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1927-1929)
Ernest F. Witty 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1929-1930)
Emaunel Weber 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1930- )
Harry C. Buede 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1936-1937)
Maurice B. King 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1937-1940)
Albert L. Dube 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1941-1941)
Myron F. Westcott 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (1941-1942)
August F. Biedermann 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1913- )
Peter H. Carr 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1917- )
Gilbert H. Griffith 2nd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1925- )
John F. Myrtle 3rd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1919- )
Arthur G. Reuter 3rd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1921- )
Francis. J. Cieslack 3rd Assistant Lighthouse Keeper (at least 1940- )