Discover these maritime beacons during your travels.
Baker’s Dozen
By Lowell and Kaye Christie, F47246
May 2008
The coasts of the United States are rich in lighthouses. We’ve always enjoyed visiting lights, photographing them, and learning their history. But with more than 800 lighthouses to choose from, it’s tough to see them all. Not all are open to the public, but most that aren’t can be viewed from solid ground or on a harbor cruise. Here are a few that may interest you.
1. West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec, Maine
For two centuries, West Quoddy Light has been warning ships at the northeastern tip of the United States. In 1820 it was one of the first lighthouses to have fog signals installed, and from the start it was in nearly constant use. The current red-and-white-striped lighthouse is 85 feet above the sea, flashes every 7 seconds, and is visible 18 miles away. The grounds are open to the public.
2. Portland Breakwater Light, South Portland, Maine
This small lighthouse, modeled after a Greek monument, was built as part of a breakwater after an 1831 storm destroyed much of Portland Harbor. Its small size earned it the nickname “Bug Light.” In 1942 during World War II, like many other lights, Bug Light was shut down and eventually passed into private ownership. Newly restored in 2002, it is now a focal point of Bug Light Park and welcomes visitors by flashing its beacon every four seconds.
3. New London Ledge Light, New London, Connecticut
This unusual structure was one of the last lighthouses built in New England. The stately red brick building with a mansard roof is built on a pier near the entrance of New London Harbor, at the extreme eastern end of Long Island Sound. Locals credit its dignified style to wealthy homeowners living nearby. They demanded a structure in keeping with their elegant neighborhoods.
4. Concord Point Lighthouse, Havre De Grace, Maryland
At the northernmost point of the Chesapeake Bay stands another important and lovely light. Rather than following the usual pattern, it was built in 1827 with 3-foot-thick granite walls. No wonder it’s still in great shape. The light was “retired” in 1975 and is now maintained by the Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse.
5. Hooper Strait Light, St. Michaels, Maryland
This cottage-style lighthouse was erected on a screw pile base in 1879. What’s a screw pile? Screw pile lighthouses stand on piles that are screwed into sandy or muddy sea or river bottoms. The structure was originally built on the Chesapeake Bay’s Tangier Sound, but after the light was deactivated in 1966 it was moved to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, with rooms maintained as they would have been a century ago.
6. Bar Point Shoal Light, South Rockwood, Michigan
This 1885 lighthouse, which stands on a pier in Lake Erie just south of the Detroit River, played an important role in the development of shipping and transportation on the Great Lakes. It wasn’t automated until 1979. The bottom half of the structure is painted white and the top portion painted black, to catch the eye of passing ships’ captains and prevent them from running aground. It is not open to the public, and remains operational.
7. Fenwick Island Light, Delaware
Fenwick Island Light was completed in 1859 to protect ships from the treacherous Fenwick shoals. The brick tower rises 87 feet from its base to the gallery where light beams across the water. In 1978 the lighthouse was deactivated; in 1982, ownership was transferred to the state of Delaware, which leased the light to the Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse. Today the lighthouse is open when weather permits, and visitors can tour a small museum located in its base.
8. Assateague Light, Chincoteague, Virginia
This beautiful tower was fitted with a first-class Fresnel lens back in 1867. The light is still active today, and is easily reached from the parking area near the Chincoteague Visitors Center. The glossy red and white bands encircling the tower certainly draw attention. Visitors can enlist the services of Chincoteague Cruises for an excursion along this long, skinny island to glean magnificent views of the light from the water and see the wild ponies that live there.
9. Middle Bay Lighthouse, Mobile, Alabama
Similar to Maryland’s Hooper Strait Light, this lighthouse also stands offshore perched atop red pilings. Although the pilings were screwed deep into the rocky bottom beneath the bay, the light settled an additional 7½ feet before wooden piles were driven around the screw piles to keep the light from sinking any farther. The 1885 lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
10. Key West Lighthouse, Key West, Florida
Built in 1847 to replace a lighthouse that was destroyed by a hurricane, this tower was originally 46 feet high, but was later extended to 86 feet. Eighty-eight iron steps lead to an observation deck that offers spectacular views of the area, including Ernest Hemingway’s house and the town of Key West. A fully restored keeper’s house contains original furniture and displays. The light was decommissioned in 1969, but the Key West Art & Historical Society reopened it to the public in 1989.
11. Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, Ilwaco, Washington
This light was built in 1856 to protect seamen from what was called the “Graveyard of the Pacific” near the dangerous waters around the mouth of the Columbia River. It is the oldest functioning lighthouse on the West Coast. Cape Disappointment, although named for an earlier “disappointment,” lived up to its name during the planning and construction of the lighthouse. In 1853 a ship carrying building materials to the site ran aground directly below the cape; the entire cargo was lost. Then when the new lighthouse construction began, the tower proved too small to hold the massive Fresnel lens that was to provide the light. The tower had to be dismantled and rebuilt.
12. Battery Point Lighthouse, Crescent City, California
Battery Point Light began flashing in 1856. Nearby Crescent City was a hub of lumber shipping, and many of the vessels loaded with lumber were in danger as they traveled along the rocky coastline. The structure was built in a Cape Cod style, with the tower rising from the center of the building. The light endured many storms over the years, and in 1964 an Alaskan earthquake sent five tidal waves raging toward Crescent City. Because of the angle of the waves the lighthouse was spared, but 29 blocks of the town were destroyed. The lighthouse is accessible only by foot at low tide.
13. Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Pescadero, California
If you travel 50 miles south of San Francisco on scenic U.S. 1, you’ll come to the tallest lighthouse on the Pacific Coast. The 115-foot structure is said to be the most photographed lighthouse in California. It’s still active, but the light flashes only on special occasions. Although the lighthouse is currently closed to the public, visitors can take self-guided tours of the grounds daily. Docent-led tours of the tower are available on weekends.