New Haven's 1847 Harbor Lighthouse on Five Mile Point
New Haven, CT
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Park admission is seasonal. Check City of New Haven Parks for current fee schedule. Lighthouse exterior is viewable year-round.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved paths, flat waterfront park; lighthouse interior access is limited
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1847 · Revolutionary War · Maritime History · Historic Lighthouse
The history of New Haven's lighthouse begins in 1804, when the federal government purchased one acre at Five Mile Point from a farmer named Amos Morris for $100. Morris became the site's first keeper. The original structure was replaced when Congress funded a new facility in 1847, and the lighthouse that stands today — painted white, 97 feet above sea level — dates from that construction.
The lighthouse marked the five-mile distance from the New Haven Green to the harbor point, hence its informal name. It guided vessels into and out of New Haven Harbor for three decades before being decommissioned in 1877, when the Southwest Ledge Light was established approximately one mile offshore as the primary navigational marker. The Five Mile Point lighthouse was subsequently transferred to local care.
During the American Revolution, the site carried military significance. In July 1779, British troops landed from ships anchored offshore and staged an invasion of New Haven. An officer of the King's American Regiment, Ensign and Adjutant Watkins, was killed in the engagement and buried near the site of the future lighthouse — a detail that adds Revolutionary War provenance to a location that would otherwise be primarily maritime in character.
Lighthouse Point Park now encompasses the lighthouse and an 82-acre park with a historic carousel, swimming beach, fishing pier, and bird-watching facilities. The park is managed by the City of New Haven.
Sources
Among the Connecticut lighthouses with documented paranormal reputations — New London Ledge Light carries the best-established account — Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven occupies the lower tier. An account attributed to an East Shore park ranger describes a presence in the lighthouse that the ranger connected to the building's construction period, though the account has not been independently corroborated or placed in historical context.
The more solidly documented history involves the Revolutionary War burial nearby: Ensign Watkins of the King's American Regiment, killed in the 1779 British landing, was buried close to where the lighthouse now stands. Whether this historical detail has contributed to the site's mild paranormal reputation is speculative.
The park is primarily a recreation destination rather than a paranormal one. Visitors seeking Connecticut lighthouse hauntings with more developed lore should consider the New London Ledge Light, where the Keeper John Minke legend is substantially documented.
An 82-acre waterfront park at the eastern tip of New Haven Harbor, home to the 1847 Five Mile Point Light. The lighthouse served as an active beacon until 1877 when the Southwest Ledge Light replaced it. Park amenities include a historic carousel, shore fishing, swimming beach, and bird-watching. The lighthouse exterior is viewable year-round.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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