| Rock Island Lighthouse is located in the Thousand Islands
about 4.5 miles northeast of Clayton, Jefferson County, New
York, off of Fisher's Landing. Originally commissioned in
1847, it is one of six lights put up along the St. Lawrence
River to guide traffic to and from Lake Ontario through the
waterway. The Rock Island station is the best preserved, as
all of its structures still survive. It was refitted in 1855,
rebuilt in 1882, and moved in 1903. The light was closed in
1956 after more a century of service. Today, the lighthouse
and island are maintained by the New York State Office of
Parks and Recreation, and, while only accessible by private
boat, the grounds are open for touring and picnicking.
The Association was founded 31 May 2000
by Mark A. Wentling, a descendant of an early keeper at Rock
Island, who wanted to learn more about the light and the people
who tended it. The association's goals are: to record
the lives and genealogies of the keepers, to document and publicize the history of the
station, to facilitate visits to
the island, and eventually to participate in the preservation
of the light, its grounds, and facilities, in partnership
with the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation.
Membership is free and open to anyone with an interest in
the light or its keepers. Relatives of the keepers are
especially encouraged to join.
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