See more of our coverage of the General Services Administration’s 70th anniversary in our series, GSA @ 70: Mission Evolved
The federal government maintains thousands of properties around the country and sometimes needs to offload a few. This includes properties not on the mainland U.S., such as light houses from New England to the Caribbean, the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest.
The General Services Administration’s National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act Program works with states, local communities, nonprofits and individuals to convey these historic structures for the sake of preservation. Scroll through the gallery to see some lighthouses currently for sale, as well as the most recent property transfers through the program.
Penfield Reef Lighthouse
Long Island Sound (near Fairfield), Connecticut
Status: Public sale in 2017 (Deed execution pending as of Oct. 31, 2018)
Penfield Reef Lighthouse was built in 1874 with a Second Empire architectural style and stands 51-feet-tall with a square two-story keeper’s quarters building attached. The Coast Guard declared it excess property in 2005 but before GSA could find a new steward for the lighthouse, Hurricane Sandy significantly damaged it in 2012. The Coast Guard received funding from the 2013 Disaster Relief Appropriations Act to restore Penfield Reef back to its 19th century appearance, according to GSA.