Little Gull Island For Sale, Restoration Too Much For Town

Several non-profit groups in Connecticut are working to keep Little Gull Island and its historic lighthouse public property — and they have until Oct. 10 to bid on the island, according to a recent report in Connecticut’s The Day news website.

The 1-acre rock that is located between Plum Island and Fishers Island in the Long Island Sound is on a list of former Coast Guard lighthouse properties that the U.S. General Services Administration is trying to sell, according to the report. A high bid of $70,000 was submitted last week.

Representatives of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment said they hope to partner with the New London Maritime Society in order to raise funds. The society owns New London Harbor Light and is working to buy Race Rock Light, southwest of Fishers Island.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell told North Fork Patch on Monday that Town involvement in the project is economically unfeasible, given the price of acquisition of the island and the long-term requirements of restoring and maintaining the lighthouse.

“The Town is simply not in a position to take on,” Russell said. “Generally, these types of endeavors are best left to the preservation organizations who have the expertise to address all of the needs. However, in this particular case and given the condition of the structure as it exists, even those groups are finding the prospect of acquisition economically untenable.”

Read the full report on The Day here.