Rock Island Light is a

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

on Rock Island in the

Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connectin ...

in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The island is owned by the

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (NYS OPRHP) is a state agency within the New York State Executive Department Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law § 3.03. "The office of parks, recreation a ...

and operated as Rock Island Lighthouse State Park. The lighthouse was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in November 1978.

History

Rock Island Light was first constructed in 1848 as one of three lights approved by the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

for aiding navigation in the

Thousand Islands The Thousand Islands (french: Mille-Îles) constitute a North American archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada–US border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for abo ...

region of the Saint Lawrence River. The other lights constructed at the same time were Crossover Island Light and

Sunken Rock Light Sunken Rock Light is a lighthouse in Bush Island, New York. It was converted to solar power in 1988. It is maintained by the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation pursuant to an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard authorized under 14 USC 81 ...

, both located east of Rock Island. The original structure was a combination brick house and light, with the lantern centered on the house's pitched roof. This structure was replaced in 1882 with a separate iron tower that held the light aloft near the center of the island; the current two-story

Victorian house In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victorian ...

was built in 1884. Problems arose due to the new light being blocked by the two-story home and trees on the island; it was during this time that the '' A.E. Vickery'' sank near the island in 1889. The tower's platform was raised by in 1894 to help increase visibility, and finally the tower and light was moved to a brick base constructed off the north side of the island in 1903, where it remains today. Additional structures remaining on the island include a smokehouse (built c. 1847), a carpenter's shop (1882), a generator house (1900), and a boathouse (1920). Among the keepers hired to maintain the light was William Johnston, a man once known as "The Pirate of the Thousand Islands" for his actions as an American sympathizer during the

Patriot War The Patriot War was a conflict along the Canada–United States border in which bands of raiders attacked the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British colony of Upper Canada more than a dozen times between December 1837 and Decembe ...

. In May 1838, Johnston and a small force overwhelmed the crew of the British mail steamer ''Sir Robert Peel''; not having enough men to man the steamer, he set it on fire and ran it against a small island in the Saint Lawrence River, henceforth known as Peel Island. Johnston was declared an outlaw by the U.S. government, and was captured and tried several times before finally receiving a pardon. After being pardoned, Johnston took up the role of keeper at Rock Island Light, serving there from 1853 to 1861. Rock Island Light was last used as an official aid to navigation in 1958. The island was put up for sale in 1968 before being transferred to the

Thousand Islands Bridge Authority The Thousand Islands International Bridge (french: Pont des Mille-îles) is an American-maintained international bridge system over the Saint Lawrence River connecting northern New York in the United States with southeastern Ontario in Canada. C ...

in 1971. The

assumed control of the property in 1976, at which time it was opened as Rock Island Lighthouse State Park. It was listed on the

two years later. In 2007, the New York State Council of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation received a $900,000 grant from the

US Department of Transportation The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...

as part of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. The grant, matched by $200,000 in state money, was for restoration and development of a method of presenting the lighthouse's historical information and context to the public. The restoration planned for expanding the dock, restoring the lighthouse and keeper's quarters, establishing a museum, and providing water, sewer and electrical service to the island.

''A.E. Vickery'' shipwreck

The '' A.E. Vickery'' sank August 17, 1889 when it struck a shoal while entering the American Narrows destined for Wisers Distillery at

Prescott, Ontario Prescott, Ontario is a small town on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, Canada. In 2021, the town had a population of 4,078. The Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge, east of Prescot ...

, Canada. The boat now rests near Rock Island and is an

underwater diving Underwater diving, as a human activity, is the practice of descending below the water's surface to interact with the environment. It is also often referred to as diving, an ambiguous term with several possible meanings, depending on contex ...

attraction in the Thousand Islands.

Rock Island Lighthouse State Park

Rock Island Lighthouse State Park is a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

that encompasses the entirety of Rock Island and its former light station. It was created after New York State acquired the property in 1976. Access to the island is possible only by private or chartered boat. The nearest public launch site is located at

Grass Point State Park Grass Point State Park is a state park located in the Town of Orleans in Jefferson County, New York. The park is located along the St. Lawrence River by NY 12 and NY 180, between Clayton and Alexandria Bay. Park description Grass Point Sta ...

, which is approximately five minutes away by boat. Public boat tours are also available from Clayton. As of 2015, the park is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends from Memorial Day until late June, and is open daily between late June and Labor Day. It is once again open only on weekends from Labor Day until Columbus Day. The park allows for viewing the surrounding area from the top of the lighthouse, and includes a museum maintained in the former keeper's quarters. A fee is charged to access the museum and lighthouse.

References

External links

Rock Island Lighthouse Historical & Memorial Association

New York State Parks: Rock Island Lighthouse State Park
{{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1848 Lighthouses in Jefferson County, New York Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in New York (state) Islands of Jefferson County, New York Islands of the Saint Lawrence River River islands of New York (state) Islands of New York (state) State parks of New York (state) Parks in Jefferson County, New York National Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, New York

History

''A.E. Vickery'' shipwreck

Rock Island Lighthouse State Park

See also

References

External links