Penfield Reef Light

Bridgeport, Connecticut | Historic lighthouse

Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterAccess: verify before visiting

Penfield Reef Light, Bridgeport, Connecticut — Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons. Not a current-conditions photo.

About this lighthouse

The U.S. Coast Guard lists Penfield Reef Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “White tower on granite dwelling on pier”. Light List entries describe the light for mariners; they do not say whether the site is open to visitors.

The structure is recorded in the National Register of Historic Places. A National Register listing documents historic significance. It does not mean the public can visit.

Awaiting verification: Wikidata gives 1874 as the year this station or structure was established. We have not yet confirmed this against a primary source, so it is not shown as a fact. See the Wikidata lead.

Facts panel

Sourced facts about Penfield Reef Light
Navigation status	Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 21290) [1]
Light characteristic	Fl R 6s [1]
Focal height	51 ft above water [1]
Nominal range	14 nautical miles [1]
Structure (USCG description)	White tower on granite dwelling on pier. [1]
National Register	Listed as “Penfield Reef Lighthouse” (NRIS 89001473), NPGallery record dated 9/27/1990 [2]
NRHP significant years	1874 [2]
NRHP areas of significance	Engineering Transportation [2]
County	Fairfield County
Coordinates	41.11667, -73.22167 [3]

Getting there

Directions should target a legal public viewing location. We have not verified a public viewpoint or parking area for this light yet, so check the official source before you go.

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open larger map. The pin marks the lighthouse position, not a parking area or a permitted viewpoint.

Accessibility

We have no verified accessibility information for this site yet. Contact the site manager before your visit if you need step-free access.

Nearby lights

Straight-line distance between lighthouse positions, not a driving time or route.

Tongue Point Light — 4.2 mi straight-line (Connecticut)
Stratford Point Light — 6.6 mi straight-line (Connecticut)
Stratford Shoal Light — 7.4 mi straight-line (Connecticut)
Peck Ledge Light — 8.1 mi straight-line (Connecticut)
Sheffield Island Light — 11.3 mi straight-line (Connecticut)

Sources

Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 21290 “Penfield Reef Light” — U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (weekly edition 11/11/2026). https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/weekly-light-lists (checked 2026-11-11)
National Register of Historic Places record 89001473: “Penfield Reef Lighthouse” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/89001473 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikidata item Q7162651 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7162651 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penfield_Reef_Light (checked 2026-11-11)

Last checked November 11, 2026. Found an error or a closure? Send a correction.