Blackwell's Light
Address:
Lighthouse Park
Roosevelt Island
Category: Lighthouses
Location: An esplanade on the island’s west side leads to the lighthouse, which is still lit at night.
Built: 1872
Architect: James Renwick Jr.
Description: The octagon-shaped Gothic-style tower stands 50 feet tall at the northern tip of Roosevelt Island (originally called Welfare Island) stands sentinel at the Hell Gate. This is one of the few lights not built by the federal government, but erected by the City of New York. It was constructed by convict labor using locally quarried granite. It takes its name from the Blackwell family that owned the island from 1685 to 1823 and served as a private navigational aid for over 70 years.
