Latimer Reef Light, Lighthouse in Fishers Island Sound, United States.
Latimer Reef Light is a lighthouse standing in Fishers Island Sound off Long Island's coast. The cylindrical cast iron structure features a white exterior with a brown band and rises approximately 15 meters above the water.
The lighthouse began operation in 1884, replacing a series of lightships that had marked the dangerous Latimer Reef starting in 1849. This transition to a fixed structure improved navigation safety in these challenging waters.
Maritime navigation records from the early 1900s document the challenges faced by keepers maintaining the light and fog signals in extreme weather conditions.
The structure operates on solar power and emits a white flash every six seconds, visible across Fishers Island Sound for up to nine nautical miles. Best viewed from the water or nearby shoreline, this working navigational aid remains in active service today.
The lighthouse bears the name of James Latemore, who was captured by British forces during the Revolutionary War while conducting surveillance operations. This connection to early American independence struggles remains a little-known chapter in the structure's story.
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