National Register of Historic Places

Five Mile Point Lighthouse

New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
Listed
July 31, 1990
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
90001108

About this property

Five Mile Point Light, also known as Five Mile Point Lighthouse or Old New Haven Harbor Lighthouse, is a U.S. lighthouse in Long Island Sound on the coast of New Haven, Connecticut. Located at the entrance to New Haven Harbor, the beacon's name derives from its proximity to Downtown New Haven, about five miles (8 km) away. The original lighthouse, built in 1805, was a 30-foot (9.1 m) octagonal wooden tower. In 1847, a new 80-foot (24 m) octagonal stone tower was constructed by Marcus Bassett using East Haven brownstone. This new beacon was illuminated by 12 lamps with reflectors. A fourth-order Fresnel lens replaced the lamps in 1855, and a fog bell was added in the 1860s. The Five Mile Point Light was deactivated in 1877 when the nearby Southwest Ledge Light was completed. The lighthouse is now contained within Lighthouse Point Park and, along with the keeper's house, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

Location

New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut
41.24887, -72.90357

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Five Mile Point Lighthouse

This page lists Five Mile Point Lighthouse. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Five Mile Point Lighthouse report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Lighthouse Point Carousel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Morris House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Fort Nathan Hale
Colonial
1.5 mi
Southwest Ledge Lighthouse
Industrial
1.6 mi
Raynham
Industrial
2 mi

Nearby Battles

Raid on New Haven (Connecticut)
1779Revolutionary War
4.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Five Mile Point Lighthouse listed on the National Register?

Five Mile Point Lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Five Mile Point Lighthouse?

Five Mile Point Lighthouse is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Five Mile Point Lighthouse?

The period of significance for Five Mile Point Lighthouse is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Five Mile Point Lighthouse?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Five Mile Point Lighthouse will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in New Haven County

Historic places, battles, and census history across New Haven County.

Explore New HavenCounty ›

More historic places in Connecticut

Browse all historic places in Connecticut.

View Connecticuthistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Connecticut history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Connecticuthistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Five Mile Point Lighthouse will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report