Colchester Reef Light

The Colchester Reef Lighthouse was constructed in 1871 in the Colchester Reef off of South Hero Island. University of Vermont engineering graduate student Albert R. Dow designed this lighthouse in the Second Empire style. An 1873 storm damaged the lens in the tower, and the foundation of the structure was subsequently improved to secure the building against future storms. August Lorenz was keeper of the Colchester Reef light from 1909 to 1931, the longest term of any of the keepers. In 1923, an ice floe crashed right through the kitchen, leaving a large hole in the structure that was later repaired. The lighthouse was deactivated in 1933. In 1952, Electra Havemeyer Webb purchased the building for display at Shelburne Museum, where it now stands. The lighthouse was damaged again in 1961 when it was struck by lighting.

Colchester Reef Light: Image courtesy of "New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide", 2006.