About Us
Our Organization
The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Rowayton, Connecticut. Our Board is composed of lifelong local residents and passionate stewards who have been inspired by this historic lighthouse.
Our Organization
The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Rowayton, Connecticut. Our Board is composed of lifelong local residents and passionate stewards who have been inspired by this historic lighthouse.
Board Members
Tim Pettee, President
Peter Tombros
Alex Pettee
Tom Murphy
Brendan McGee
Todd Robbins
Tony DeChellis
Development Committee
Tim Pettee
Todd Robbins
Tony DeChellis
Construction Committee
Alex Pettee
Tim Pettee
Brendan McGee
Our Mission
The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to restoring and preserving Greens Ledge Lighthouse, a historic lighthouse off the coast of Connecticut.
L ocated in the Long Island Sound off the coast of Norwalk and Darien Connecticut, Greens Ledge is one of only 33 sparkplug lighthouses still in existence. Completed in 1902 by the Philadelphia Construction Company, Greens Ledge Light continues to serve as an active aid to navigation more than 120 years later.
D espite being added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 as a "typical example of a pre-fabricated cast-iron conical lighttower on a cast-iron tubular foundation," Greens Ledge Lighthouse had fallen into disrepair and was classified as in "Deteriorated" condition, one demarkation above "Ruins."
In August 2016, Green's Ledge Light was put up for auction to the public. It was sold on September 15, 2016 for $150,000 to The Pettee Family, the highest of four bidders. The Pettee Family donated the lighthouse to a newly founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society, to spearhead the restoration and preservation efforts.
Founded by local residents Tim Pettee, Alex Pettee, Brendan McGee, and Shannon Holloway, the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society was formally organized on September 30, 2016. Since then, the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society has worked to restore this historic landmark: stabilizing the structure, repainting the caisson a vibrant red and white, renovating the interior, adding a state-of-the-art desalinization and water treatment plant and equipping the lighthouse with solar-powered electricity.
Completing the restoration and preserving Greens Ledge for years to come continues to be our main objective, with a goal of one day making Greens Ledge a destination for educational tours and lighthouse enthusiasts alike. As we near closer and closer to our public opening, donations are critical to helping us complete the restoration and continue to maintain this piece of American, maritime history.
Donations to the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society help fund restoration and preservation efforts to ensure that the Lighthouse remains a shining beacon of our community for generations to come.
Our Future
For its more than 120 year existence, Greens Ledge Lighthouse has been completely inaccessible to the public.
D espite its historical significance, like dozens of other lighthouses,Greens Ledge was minimally maintained and gradually deteriorating. With the primary restoration and preservation now complete, Greens Ledge Lighthouse and the Greens Ledge Light Preservation Society now enter a new phase of community accessibility and public engagement.
Transitioning to the Next 100 Years
Our vision for the “Next 100 Years” is to transform Greens Ledge Lighthouse into a beacon of research, education, sustainability and the local community. Thanks to our dedicated foundation of donors, helpers and volunteers, over the past four years we have been able to fund and complete the $2,000,000 ”Save the Light” restoration. As we move forwards, programming will provide an additional avenue for fundraising and community engagement that will help sustain our annual operating budget and minimize the need for additional capital campaigns for decades to come.
For more information about our plans for the next 100 years and the progress we’ve made so far, scroll down the page or download a copy of our most recent “Restoration Update” presentation below.
Programming
Programming will consist of both fundraising and revenue-neutral activities and events for local organizations, the surrounding community and general public.
Tours & Educational Programs
For the first time its more than 120 year history, the public is finally able to tour Greens Ledge Lighthouse. We host a limited number of public tours with our partnership with the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and the Seaport Association. Our Tombros Education Center is being converted into an exhibition center for the Long Island Sound and Lighthouse.
Community Events & Private Visits
Greens Ledge hosts and participates in local events that support fundraising and the Norwalk/Darien/Rowayton community. This includes a mix of both private and fundraising-focused/community events with a limited number of overnight visits. From our yearly Lighthouse Run to the Lighthouse Swim, we take our position as a beacon of the community to heart.
Sustainability & Preservation
By leverage the lighthouse’s unique location in the Long Island Sound, Greens Ledge takes an ongoing role in local sustainability efforts and environmental studies. In addition to being entirely off-grid, Greens Ledge is host to a weather station utilized by NOAA & the National Weather Service.
Are You Interested in Helping Us Pursue Our Vision for the Next 100 Years?
As a non-for-profit organization, Greens Ledge is funded entirely through donations from people like you. Click below to be taken to our donation page. All donations are tax-exempt in the US to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Check Us Out on News12 Connecticut!
Watch as we talk to News12 Connecticut about our organization, mission and the future we envision for Greens Ledge for the next 100 years. Interested in getting involved in saving Greens Ledge? Click the button below to donate today or look through the rest of our “About” pages to learn more.