Essex Reef Light

The Essex Reef Light was constructed in 1889 as part of a $15,000 appropriation by Congress that included several other beacons.{{cite web | url=http://www.lighthousedigest.com/Digest/StoryPage.cfm?StoryKey=348 | title=Two Lights on the River | publisher=Lighthouse Digest | date=August 1998 | access-date=2 April 2014 | author=Kibesh, Joe}} The exact cost of the structure is unknown. The light was a {{convert|21|ft|m|adj=on}} tall wooden hexagonal pyramidal tower with a black lantern that used a 6th order Fresnel lens. The 1900 Light List gave its position as 41.2036 North and 72.2254 West.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/lightlistatlant01servgoog | quote=essex light. | title=Light List: Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States (1900) | publisher=United States Coast Guard | year=1900 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/lightlistatlant01servgoog/page/n68 60]}}

The hexagonal tower was accessible from a ladder directly by boat with no other landing.{{cite web | url=http://www.uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef.htm | title=Lighthouse Inspection Reports Database Description of Light Station | publisher=United States Lighthouse Society | year=2006 | access-date=3 April 2014 | archive-date=24 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224184708/http://uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef.htm | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/premises.htm | title=Lighthouse Inspection Reports Database Description of Light Station - Premises | publisher=United States Lighthouse Society | year=2006 | access-date=3 April 2014 | archive-date=25 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225182859/http://uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/premises.htm | url-status=dead }} The foundation rests upon the river bottom and was a {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} square crib that was made of yellow pine timbers and sheathed with planks that was filled with stones and protected by riprap. The crib extends up to the high water mark to a frustum of a {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} square pyramid that is reduced to {{convert|10|ft|m}} at its top and filled with stone. The sides and top are planked and the corners were covered with boiler plate and angle irons.{{cite web | url=http://www.uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/premises_page2.htm | title=Lighthouse Inspection Reports Database Description of Light Station - Premises (2) | publisher=United States Lighthouse Society | year=2006 | access-date=3 April 2014 | archive-date=28 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151228211517/http://uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/premises_page2.htm | url-status=dead }} The original light was a hexagonal beacon lantern made of brass and copper with a sixth order Fresnel lens.{{cite web| url=http://www.uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/lantern.htm| title=Lighthouse Inspection Reports Database Description of Light Station - Lantern and fixtures| publisher=United States Lighthouse Society| year=2006| access-date=3 April 2014| archive-date=25 December 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225182929/http://uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/lantern.htm| url-status=dead}} The oil for the light was stored in boxes in the lower portion of the lantern.{{cite web| url=http://www.uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/closets.htm| title=Lighthouse Inspection Reports Database Description of Light Station - Closets and Storerooms| publisher=United States Lighthouse Society| year=2006| access-date=3 April 2014| archive-date=25 December 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225183100/http://uslhs.org/national_archives/essex_reef_files/closets.htm| url-status=dead}}

The Essex Reef Light was first lit on July 1, 1889, it featured a fixed red light until December 15, 1892, when it was changed to a fixed white light.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xkIcAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22essex+reef%22+light&pg=PA14 | title=Annual Report of the Light-House Board (1893) | year=1893 | access-date=2 April 2014| last1=Light-House Board | first1=United States }}

In 1914, the light was deactivated for the winter in between January 12–15 and relit between March 14–16.{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19140127&id=efsgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d3UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5620,2760813 | title=Changes made in navigation aids | work=The Day | date=27 January 1914 | access-date=2 April 2014}}{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19140402&id=QwEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=anUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5864,3351912 | title=Changes made in navigation aids | work=The Day | date=2 April 1913 | access-date=2 April 2014}}

A skeleton tower was already in place by 1919 and the date of replacement or removal of the original light is unknown. On December 17, 1919, the light characteristic was changed from fixed white to flashing white every 3 seconds and it was reported that the light's strength was 70 candlepower.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dQ0AQAAMAAJ&dq=essex+reef+light+connecticut&pg=PA47 | title=Notices of Mariners | publisher=U.S.A. Navy Department. Bureau of Equipment. Hydrographic Office | year=1921 | access-date=3 April 2014}} In 1931, The Day noted that the skeleton tower was "in recent years" converted to automatic gas beacons.{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19311116&id=qpErAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nXEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1121,1083201 | title=Big Conn. River Easier Navigated Than Of Old | work=The Day | date=16 November 1931 | access-date=3 April 2014}} In 1963, buoys were established near the Essex Reef light.{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19630718&id=QB8iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t3EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1942,3042706 | title=Sound Currents | work=The Day | date=18 July 1963 | access-date=3 April 2014}} Currently the skeleton tower is active with a height of {{convert|26|ft|m}} and has a green flash every 4 seconds.{{cite book | title=Light List Volume 1 (2014) | publisher=United States Coast Guard | year=2014}} It has a square green daymark with the number 25.{{Cite rowlett|ct|access-date=3 April 2014}}

Gilbert B. Hayden (also known as Burnett or Bernie) was noted as a keeper of the light with sparse details found in The Day. In 1914, it noted his return to duties after a "few weeks vacation" that followed the light's deactivation for the winter.{{cite web | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19140316&id=NAEhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=anUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2407,1568604 | title=Essex | work=The Day | date=16 March 2014 | access-date=3 April 2014}} In 1931, The Day also contained information about Bernie's service, stating that he "gave the best part of his life to tending [the] Essex light". Bernie Hayden tended the light 30 years until his resignation in 1919.{{cite web | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/320424479/?terms=%22G.%20B.%20Hayden%22%20essex&match=1| title=Brief State News | work=Norwich Bulletin | date=29 November 1919 | access-date=25 February 2023}} He made two trips by boat every day to light and extinguish the Essex Reef Light. He later became nearly blind and his friends petitioned the government for a pension, but was denied on the grounds that only those in exposed water positions could receive a pension. According to local tradition, it was commonplace for townspeople to tell Bernie Hayden that the light floated down the river and Bernie Hayden would join in the joke and claim to recover the light and return it to its rightful place.

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• [http://listoflights.org/images/leuchtfeuer/gross/J0748.jpg Picture of the current Essex Reef Light]

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Category:Lighthouses completed in 1889

Category:Essex, Connecticut

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Middlesex County, Connecticut

Category:Lighthouses in Connecticut

Category:Connecticut River