Perched in the heart of the Long Island Sound, where the waters meet between New Rochelle and Sands Point, stands the imposing Execution Rocks Lighthouse. A sentinel of maritime history for Port Washington since its completion in 1849, this 55-foot tall structure earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Yet, beyond its architectural significance, Execution Rocks Lighthouse is steeped in a chilling past that sets it apart from its beacon brethren. This is the story of a lighthouse intertwined with dark legends and eerie tales, a true rock in the landscape of maritime lore.
The ominous name, Execution Rocks, predates the lighthouse itself, reaching back to the tumultuous era of the Revolutionary War. Local legend whispers of British soldiers using these very rocks for brutal executions. Prisoners, it is said, were chained to the jagged outcrops at low tide, left to the mercy of the inexorably rising waters of the Long Island Sound. As the tide surged in, these unfortunate souls met a grim end, swallowed by the sea. While alternative accounts suggest that slaves or criminals suffered a similar fate on these rocks, the chilling narrative cemented the island’s name and, consequently, that of the lighthouse erected upon it.
The dark aura surrounding Execution Rocks extends beyond revolutionary times and into the 20th century. In his disturbing 1920 autobiography, the notorious serial killer Carl Panzram chillingly confessed to disposing of ten bodies in the waters surrounding the lighthouse. Panzram detailed how he weighted down his victims with rocks, sinking them just a hundred yards from the lighthouse’s base. These gruesome admissions further cemented the lighthouse’s reputation as a site touched by darkness, adding another layer to its already haunting history.
The confluence of these macabre tales, coupled with the lighthouse’s proximity to the opulent Sands Point mansions that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, has transformed Execution Rocks Lighthouse into an unlikely tourist destination. During the summer months, the Lighthouse Restoration Organization welcomes visitors to explore its historic structure through guided tours. Year-round, water taxis departing from Port Washington offer glimpses of the island and its storied lighthouse. Even though the lighthouse has been unmanned and fully automated since 1979, accounts of unexplained phenomena persist. Visitors have reported eerie sounds, phantom footsteps echoing through the tower, and even spectral apparitions. These persistent ghost stories led to the lighthouse being featured on the Travel Channel’s popular show Ghost Adventures in 2009, further amplifying its mystique and drawing those intrigued by the paranormal.
