In 1807, the United States government bought the 9.5 acres (3.8 ha) of land upon which the lighthouse stands from Daniel Fayerweather for $200.
The government appropriated $5000 for the light station in February 1807 and contracted Abisha Woodward to construct the light.
The first Black Rock Harbor Light was a 40-foot (12.1 meter) octagonal wooden tower built in 1808.
Abisha Woodward, who previously constructed the 1801 New London Harbor Light and the 1802 Falkner Island Light, constructed a wooden tower that was lit and made operational by October 1808.
The lightkeeper's home was a small ​1 ¹⁄₂-story home built on the opposite side of a marsh, several hundred feet away from the tower.
Another brick structure was built to house the oil.
 The total cost of the wooden lighthouse, and likely the accompanying keeper's house and oil house, was listed at $4604.69.

On September 3, 1821, the wooden tower was destroyed in the Norfolk and Long Island hurricane and was replaced with a 40-foot (12.1 meter) octagonal stone tower at a cost of $2300.53.
Completed in 1823, the new tower was made of coursed sandstone ashlar and rubble mortar and was claimed by its builder to "withstand the storm of ages."
This boisterous claim was countered by Edmund Blunt, an American Coast Pilot, who stated, "a more contemptible Lighthouse does not disgrace Long Island Sound, most shamefully erected and badly kept."
In 1835, $2052.63 was used to preserve the buildings on Fayerweather Island, including the lighthouse.
Three years later, in 1838, on the report of a Captain Gregory, another $1529.60 was used to build a seawall to protect the buildings.
Another $15,000 would be used from 1847 through 1849 to complete the seawall.
The original keeper's quarters, then referred to as a "dilapidated old edifice", was replaced in 1879.
In 1807, the United States government bought the 9.5 acres (3.8 ha) of land upon which the lighthouse stands from Daniel Fayerweather for $200. The government appropriated $5000 for the light station in February 1807 and contracted Abisha Woodward to construct the light. The first Black Rock Harbor Light was a 40-foot (12.1 meter) octagonal wooden tower built in 1808. Abisha Woodward, who previously constructed the 1801 New London Harbor Light and the 1802 Falkner Island Light, constructed a wooden tower that was lit and made operational by October 1808. The lightkeeper's home was a small ​1 ¹⁄₂-story home built on the opposite side of a marsh, several hundred feet away from the tower. Another brick structure was built to house the oil.  The total cost of the wooden lighthouse, and likely the accompanying keeper's house and oil house, was listed at $4604.69.
On September 3, 1821, the wooden tower was destroyed in the Norfolk and Long Island hurricane and was replaced with a 40-foot (12.1 meter) octagonal stone tower at a cost of $2300.53. Completed in 1823, the new tower was made of coursed sandstone ashlar and rubble mortar and was claimed by its builder to "withstand the storm of ages." This boisterous claim was countered by Edmund Blunt, an American Coast Pilot, who stated, "a more contemptible Lighthouse does not disgrace Long Island Sound, most shamefully erected and badly kept." In 1835, $2052.63 was used to preserve the buildings on Fayerweather Island, including the lighthouse. Three years later, in 1838, on the report of a Captain Gregory, another $1529.60 was used to build a seawall to protect the buildings. Another $15,000 would be used from 1847 through 1849 to complete the seawall. The original keeper's quarters, then referred to as a "dilapidated old edifice", was replaced in 1879.
Black Rock Harbor Light