Execution Rocks Light Station
Why it's listed
Execution Rocks Light Station sits on a small artificial island of about 0.3 acre in western Long Island Sound, roughly 0.9 mile north-northwest of Port Washington. It marks a rocky shoal that has endangered ships since colonial times, close to the route into the port of New York. The conical granite lighthouse was built in 1848-1849 and first lit in 1850. It is 72 feet tall overall and was designed by Alexander Parris as a wave-swept tower, originally standing alone in the water. Riprap was added around it over many decades, forming the present island. A two-and-one-half-story Gothic Revival granite keepers' dwelling was built in 1867-1868 and later joined to the tower by a short passage. The station also has foundations of demolished fog signal and oil buildings. It remains an automated Coast Guard navigation aid with a modern optic, fog signal and radar beacon, reachable only by boat.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the station as a wave-swept granite tower lighthouse designed by Alexander Parris to mark the hazardous Execution Rocks shoal near the shipping route to the port of New York. It also documents the evolution of the light station, including the keepers' dwelling, fog signals and the gradually enlarged artificial island.
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 07000094, listed February 23, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | In Long Island Sound, 0.9 mi. NNW of N end of NY 101 in Nassau Co., Port Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Nassau County |
| Listed | February 23, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000094 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architect / builder | Alexander Parris (designer of the lighthouse) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (keepers' dwelling); wave-swept tower lighthouse type; classified as Mid-19th century / Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Maritime History, Transportation, Architecture, Engineering |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and operated as an automated aid to navigation; the keepers' dwelling rooms are vacant with peeling paint. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.87811, -73.73764 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 07000094.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5419772
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.