Light Characteristic: Lighthouse: Flashing White every 10 seconds (1925) Light Characteristic:Lighthouse:4.5 seconds flash, 5.5 seconds eclipse
Light Characteristic:Lighthouse:Flashing White every 10 seconds (1935) Light Characteristic:Lighthouse:2.5 seconds flash, 7.5 seconds eclipse
Light Characteristic: Skeleton tower: Flashing White every 10 seconds (1952) Light Characteristic:Skeletontower: Flashing White every 6 seconds (1986)
Light Characteristic: None (2005)
Range: Lighthouse: 12½ miles (1906)
Range: Skeleton tower: 12 miles (1952) Range:Skeletontower: 8 miles (1986)
Range: None (2014)
Fog Signal: Bell Struck By Machinery (1912) Fog Signal: Compress Air Diaphragm Horn (1952)
Fog Signal Characteristic: Bell Struck 1 Times (1912)
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 15 Seconds Fog Signal Characteristic:
Bell Struck 1 Times Fog Signal Characteristic:
Silent for 15 Seconds
Fog Signal Characteristic: Horn Blast for 4 Seconds (1952)
Fog Signal Characteristic: Silent for 26 Seconds
Bell Struck 1 Times (1912)
Silent for 15 Seconds
Bell Struck 1 Times
Silent for 15 Seconds
Horn Blast for 4 Seconds (1952)
Silent for 26 Seconds
The first light on Gould Island was built in the early 1880's on the northern end of the island. It was a private light maintained by the Old Colony Steamboat Company. It was located on land owned by E.C. Homans, a New York stock broker. He and his family had a summer house on the island. It is uncertain what the light looked like. Edmund Taylor, Gould Island Lighthouse's first keeper, was also the keeper of this private light. In his 1943 obituary, it stated "Mr. Taylor regularly maintained a lantern which he hung for the purpose of signaling the New York boats and other harbor traffic." In 1885 the Lighthouse Board wanted to build a government light on the island. It didn't want the ships which pass Gould Island, carrying thousands of passengers, to be jeopardized by the failure of the light.
In 1887, $10,000 was appropriated for the Gould Island Lighthouse and a site was chosen. The site was on land owned by Mrs. Homans. She gave it to the government on the condition Taylor became its keeper.
A thirty feet conical brick tower and a keeper's dwelling were built on the northeast side of the island. It was equipped with a fifth order Fresnel lens. It went into operation on June 10, 1889.
Gould Island was heavily wooded. When ships approached the island from the south, trees would sometime block the light. In 1932, after years of complaints, Gould Island South Light, a light on a skeleton tower, was built on the southern tip of the island.
Aerial View of Gould Island Lighthouse in the 1940s
Gould Island Lighthouse was decommissioned on March 17, 1947. Its log states that all the equipment was removed and the building was padlocked. A light on a skeleton tower and an automatic foghorn replaced it. The lighthouse was reportedly torn down in 1960, but I have not been able to verify this.
In October 1972, the Coast Guard proposed discontinuing the light because it was unnecessary for safety and navigation and to save money. The decision would be based on public response. If they received enough letters the light and foghorn would remain on. They received more than thirty letters protesting it being discontinued. They remained on. The following year the Coast Guard proposed discontinuing just the foghorn. Only two protest letters were received. The foghorn was discontinued. On October 24, 1988, the skeleton tower's base crumbled and the tower fell over. It was not replaced.
If you have photographs of Gould Island Lighthouse or its keepers that I can use on my web site, please
contact me.
