Galloo Island Light
Why it's listed
Galloo Island Light is a lighthouse on the southwest end of Galloo Island in eastern Lake Ontario, marking the outer edge of a group of islands and shoals before the St. Lawrence River and Sackets Harbor. A light was first established here in 1820, and the present station was completed in the spring of 1867. The 60-foot conical tower and its attached one-story keeper's dwelling are built of cut grey limestone quarried on the island. The tower is lined with brick and holds a circular cast-iron stairway with two landings, topped by a ten-sided lantern and a bracketed gallery with an iron railing. It once held a fourth-order Fresnel lens; today a battery-driven rotating beacon flashes white every five seconds. Nearby are an 1897 iron oil house and an 1897 brick fog signal house built from the same plans as one at Tibbetts Point. Automated in 1974, the light remains in service as part of a group of Great Lakes lighthouses.
Significance in brief: The light marks the outer edge of a group of islands and shoals at the lower end of Lake Ontario, on the approach to the St. Lawrence River and Sackets Harbor. It is part of a thematic group of Great Lakes Coast Guard lighthouses. The reviewer's recommended criteria were A and C. A handwritten note calls it one of the oldest surviving American lighthouses on Lake Ontario.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83001682, listed August 4, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Galloo Island, Sackets Harbor |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | August 4, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001682 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still an active coast light under U.S. Coast Guard ownership, automated in 1974. Interior, exterior and environs are marked intact. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 43.88850, -76.44414 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83001682.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5519133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.