About the Seaport

About the Seaport

A black and white photo of a lighthouse dated 1868

Sheffield Island Lighthouse tour season operates May - September 2022. 

Entered  National Register  for Historic Places  January 19, 1989

The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had a vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage.  The first Oyster Festival was planned to increase awareness of Norwalk harbor and as a fundraiser for the new organization.  The Association received IRS 501(C) (3) status in March, 1980.


The Seaport became the catalyst in the drive for a maritime center, now the Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk, which sparked the resurgence in South Norwalk that continues to this day. The Norwalk Seaport Association is a founding member of the Maritime Aquarium and maintains a seat on its Board of Directors.


With the goal of building a maritime center accomplished, the Norwalk Seaport Association continued to fulfill its mission through the purchase of the Sheffield Island Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage in 1986.  The Lighthouse and Cottage were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Each year over 6,000 visitors travel to Sheffield Island via the Seaport ferry to tour the historic lighthouse, view the artifacts, the lighthouse structure and learn about our maritime history from the lighthouse guides and staff. In addition, the Seaport brings almost 1000 local school children to Sheffield Island for lessons in maritime history, marine biology and environmental sciences.  All possible through Seaport fundraising efforts and community support.


The annual Oyster Festival, sponsored by the Norwalk Seaport Association provides a significant portion of the funding needed to maintain the Sheffield Island Lighthouse operations. In addition to supporting the Lighthouse educational and restoration plans, it has become an integral part of the culture of Norwalk, and evolved into a community service event, where over $200,000 is raised by  local nonprofit community groups to be distributed throughout the region in fulfillment of their missions.

Governance Structure

By-Laws allow for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 Trustees.  Eleven Board meetings are held each year.

The Norwalk Seaport Association’s strengths include:  Longevity – will be celebrating 47 years in 2024; integral part of community and culture in Norwalk; ownership of Sheffield Island Lighthouse since 1986 and organizer of the Annual Oyster Festival (46 years in 2024).



Target Population and Programs

Through the combination of our educational programs and public access to Sheffield Island, the Norwalk Seaport Association serves all ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic groups both children and adults.  Our educational programs serve the entire community with a special focus on elementary / middle school children.  The Norwalk Seaport Association in partnership with the US Fish & Wildlife Service and local educators has developed and implemented programs focusing on the maritime history and marine life / environmental issues of Norwalk Harbor and Long Island Sound.  The Sheffield Island Lighthouse Ferry provides the only public access to the Norwalk Islands.  Educational tours of the Lighthouse and nature trails are conducted by Norwalk Seaport staff.  

The Norwalk Seaport Association is a recognized Friends organization of the National Wildlife Refuge System, in particular, the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.  This Refuge consists of ten separate locations along 70 miles of the Connecticut coast between Westbrook and Greenwich.  The Norwalk Seaport Association is a Friends group for the Norwalk Islands unit of the Refuge.  The forest and shrub lands of the Norwalk Islands provide regionally significant habitat for colonial nesting wading birds and other migratory species.
Share by: