List of lighthouses in Massachusetts

This is a list of all lighthouses in the U.S. state of Massachusetts as identified by the United States Coast Guard. Enumeration of the lighthouses in this state is complicated by the number of multiple tower stations and replacement of older towers, with the Brant Point Light station having had nine towers, two of which survive.[1] At present there are forty-seven active towers, of which eleven are privately maintained; thirteen are standing but inactive, seven have been replaced with skeleton towers, thirteen have been destroyed or removed, and one tower has been moved to another state. The oldest station, Boston Light, established in 1716, was the first lighthouse built in the colonies, and the current tower at that station, built in 1783, is the oldest survivor in the state and the second oldest in the nation, and was the last lighthouse automated in the United States.[2] The last station established was at the Buzzards Bay Entrance Light in 1961 (since replaced by an automated light on a steel tripod), but in 1986 the 1818 Great Point Light was rebuilt and relit, making it the last tower constructed in the state. The tallest towers in the state are the two Cape Ann Light towers, but the highest focal plane is at the Hospital Point Range Rear Light, which is located in the steeple of the First Baptist Church of Beverly.[2]

A number of inactivated Massachusetts lights have met with unusual fates. The Three Sisters of Nauset were sold off to separate private buyers before being purchased by the National Park Service and moved back near their original site. Range lights in Nantucket and Hyannis were incorporated into private dwellings, the former housing the Gilbreth family of Cheaper by the Dozen fame. The Point Gammon Light was converted into an observation tower for birdwatching.

If not otherwise noted, focal height and coordinates are taken from the United States Coast Guard Light List,[3] while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard Historical information site for lighthouses.[4]

Name Location Coordinates Image Focal
Height 		Built[note 1] Automated Deactivated Status
Annisquam Harbor Light Cape Ann 42°39′43″N 70°40′53″W / 42.6619°N 70.6815°W 45 ft (14 m) 1801/1897 1974 active
Bakers Island Light Salem 42°32′11″N 70°47′09″W / 42.5364°N 70.7859°W 111 ft (34 m) 1798/1820 1972 active; second tower removed in 1926
Billingsgate Island Light Billingsgate Island W of Wellfleet 41°52′16″N 70°04′05″W / 41.871°N 70.068°W[5] 40 ft (12 m) 1822/1858 1915 abandoned and destroyed by storm; replacement skeleton tower removed in 1922
Bird Island Light Marion, Buzzards Bay 41°40′10″N 70°43′03″W / 41.6694°N 70.7174°W 37 ft (11 m)[6] 1819 1933-1997[note 2] active; private aid
Bishop and Clerks Light S of Hyannis 41°34′27″N 70°15′00″W / 41.5743°N 70.2501°W 59 ft (18 m)[4] 1858 1923 1928 demolished in 1952
Borden Flats Light Fall River 41°42′16″N 71°10′28″W / 41.7044°N 71.1744°W 47 ft (14 m) 1881 1963 active
Boston Light Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor 42°19′41″N 70°53′24″W / 42.3280°N 70.8901°W 102 ft (31 m) 1716/1783 1998 active
Brant Point Light Nantucket 41°17′24″N 70°05′25″W / 41.2900°N 70.0903°W 26 ft (7.9 m) 1746/1901 1965 active
Brant Point Light (old) Nantucket 41°17′23″N 70°05′33″W / 41.2898°N 70.0924°W[7] 46 ft (14 m)[8] 1856 1901 inactive
Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Front Light Spectacle Island 42°19′40″N 70°59′03″W / 42.3278°N 70.9842°W[9] 53 ft (16 m)[10] 1903[10] 1950s[10] removed
Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Rear Light Spectacle Island 42°19′39″N 70°59′07″W / 42.3275°N 70.9853°W[9] 70 ft (21 m)[10] 1903[10] 1950s[10] removed
Butler Flats Light New Bedford 41°36′11″N 70°53′38″W / 41.603°N 70.894°W 25 ft (7.6 m) 1898 1978 active; private aid maintained by city
Buzzards Bay Entrance Light entrance to Buzzards Bay 41°23′49″N 71°02′05″W / 41.3970°N 71.0347°W 101 ft (31 m)[11] 1961 1980 1996 replaced with three-legged unmanned tower
Cape Ann Light Thacher Island 42°38′12″N 70°34′30″W / 42.6368°N 70.5749°W 166 ft (51 m) 1771/1861 1979 active
Cape Poge Light Chappaquiddick Island, Martha's Vineyard 41°25′10″N 70°27′08″W / 41.4194°N 70.4523°W[note 3] 65 ft (20 m) 1801/1893 1943 active
Chatham Light Chatham harbor 41°40′17″N 69°57′01″W / 41.6713°N 69.9502°W[note 4] 80 ft (24 m) 1808/1877 1982 active; second tower moved to Nauset Beach Light in 1923
Clarks Point Light New Bedford 41°35′36″N 70°54′05″W / 41.5932°N 70.9014°W 68 ft (21 m)[4] 1797/1869 2001[note 5] active; private aid
Cleveland East Ledge Light Falmouth 41°37′52″N 70°41′39″W / 41.6310°N 70.6942°W 74 ft (23 m) 1943 1978 active
Cuttyhunk Light Cuttyhunk Island 41°24′50″N 70°57′00″W / 41.414°N 70.950°W 1823/1891 1947 replaced with skeleton light (discontinued 2005)[12]
Deer Island Light entrance to Boston Harbor 42°20′24″N 70°57′16″W / 42.3399°N 70.9545°W 53 ft (16 m)[13] 1890 1960 1982 replaced with light on fiberglass post
Derby Wharf Light Salem 42°30′59″N 70°53′01″W / 42.5165°N 70.8835°W 25 ft (7.6 m) 1871 1917[14] 1977-1983 active; administered by NPS
Dumpling Rocks Light Buzzards Bay S of New Bedford 41°32′17″N 70°55′16″W / 41.538°N 70.921°W 1829/1889 1938 destroyed in the 1938 New England hurricane; replaced with skeleton tower
Duxbury Pier Light Plymouth Harbor 41°59′15″N 70°38′55″W / 41.9874°N 70.6485°W 35 ft (11 m) 1871 1961 active
East Chop Light Oak Bluffs, Martha's Vineyard 41°28′13″N 70°34′03″W / 41.4703°N 70.5675°W 79 ft (24 m) 1869/1878 1934 active
Eastern Point Light Gloucester, Cape Ann 42°34′49″N 70°39′52″W / 42.5802°N 70.6644°W 57 ft (17 m) 1832/1890 1986 active
Edgartown Harbor Light Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard 41°23′27″N 70°30′11″W / 41.3909°N 70.5031°W 45 ft (14 m) 1828/1939 1939 active
Egg Rock Light Egg Rock near Nahant 42°25′59″N 70°53′53″W / 42.433°N 70.898°W[15] 90 ft (27 m)[15] 1856/1897 1918[16] 1922 destroyed
Fairhaven Bridge Light mounted on New Bedford – Fairhaven Bridge predecessor 41°38′21″N 70°55′03″W / 41.6392°N 70.9175°W[note 6] 1888 1891 removed
Falmouth Inner Light Falmouth 41°32′32″N 70°36′30″W / 41.5421°N 70.6083°W replaced with skeleton tower
Fort Pickering Light Winter Island in Salem 42°31′35″N 70°51′59″W / 42.5264°N 70.8664°W 28 ft (8.5 m) 1871 1983 1969-1983 active; private aid
Gay Head Light Aquinnah, Martha's Vineyard 41°20′54″N 70°50′06″W / 41.3484°N 70.8350°W 170 ft (52 m) 1799/1856 1960 1969-1983 active
Great Point Light north end of Nantucket 41°23′25″N 70°02′54″W / 41.3902°N 70.0483°W 71 ft (22 m) 1769/1986 1950s active
Highland Light[note 7] North Truro, Cape Cod 41°23′27″N 70°30′11″W / 41.3909°N 70.5031°W 170 ft (52 m) 1797/1857[17] 1987[17] active
Hospital Point Range Front Light Beverly 42°32′47″N 70°51′22″W / 42.5465°N 70.8560°W 70 ft (21 m) 1872 1947 active
Hospital Point Range Rear Light Beverly 42°32′54″N 70°52′43″W / 42.5483°N 70.8785°W 183 ft (56 m) 1927 active
Hyannis Front Range Light on pier in Hyannis harbor 41°38′02″N 70°17′20″W / 41.634°N 70.289°W[note 8] 20 ft (6.1 m)[18] 1885 1929 removed
Hyannis Rear Range Light[note 9] Hyannis 41°38′10″N 70°17′19″W / 41.636°N 70.2885°W[19] 43 ft (13 m)[18] 1849 1929 inactive; part of private dwelling
Ipswich Range Front Light S entrance to Plum Island Sound 42°41′10″N 70°45′54″W / 42.686°N 70.765°W(est)[20] 25 ft (7.6 m)[20] 1838/ca. 1867 1932 removed
Ipswich Range Rear Light[note 10] S entrance to Plum Island Sound 42°41′07″N 70°45′58″W / 42.6853°N 70.7662°W 42 ft (13 m)[20] 1838/1881 1938 tower moved to Edgartown Harbor Light; replaced with skeleton tower
Long Island Head Light Long Island in Boston harbor 42°19′49″N 70°57′28″W / 42.3302°N 70.9577°W 120 ft (37 m) 1819/1901[21] 1929[21] 1982-1985[21] active
Long Point Light Provincetown, Cape Cod 42°01′59″N 70°10′07″W / 42.0331°N 70.1687°W 36 ft (11 m) 1827/1875 1952 active
Lovells Island Range Front Light Lovells Island in Boston Harbor 42°19′58″N 70°55′49″W / 42.3328°N 70.9303°W[4] 31 ft (9.4 m)[22] 1903 1939 demolished
Lovells Island Range Rear Light Lovells Island in Boston Harbor 42°19′55″N 70°55′52″W / 42.3319°N 70.9311°W[4] 40 ft (12 m)[22] 1903 1939 demolished
Marblehead Light Marblehead 42°30′19″N 70°50′01″W / 42.5054°N 70.8337°W[23] 130 ft (40 m)[23] 1831/1896 1960 active
Mayo Beach Light Mayo Beach on Cape Cod 41°55′51″N 70°02′03″W / 41.9307°N 70.0343°W[24] 1838/1881 1922 tower moved to Point Montara Light in California; dwelling remains on site[24]
Minot's Ledge Light Scituate 42°01′59″N 70°10′07″W / 42.0331°N 70.1687°W 85 ft (26 m) 1850/1860 1947 active
Monomoy Point Light Monomoy Island 41°33′32″N 69°59′38″W / 41.559°N 69.994°W[25] 47 ft (14 m)[25] 1823/1849 1923 inactive
Nantucket Beacon S side of Nantucket 41°16′23″N 70°04′23″W / 41.273°N 70.073°W[8][note 11] 24 ft (7.3 m)[8][note 11] 1820?/1856[8][note 12] 1880?[note 12] removed
Nantucket Cliff Range Lights N side of Nantucket W of the harbor 41°17′38″N 70°06′25″W / 41.294°N 70.107°W[26] 1838/1889[26] 1912[26] inactive; incorporated into private house
Nantucket Harbor Range Front Light Brant Point 41°17′23″N 70°05′32″W / 41.2898°N 70.0923°W 35 ft (11 m) 1908 active
Nantucket Harbor Range Rear Light Brant Point 41°17′21″N 70°05′31″W / 41.2893°N 70.0919°W 51 ft (16 m) 1908 active
Nauset Beach Light North Eastham, Cape Cod 41°51′36″N 69°57′11″W / 41.860°N 69.953°W 120 ft (37 m) 1838/1877 1955 active; private aid
Ned Point Light Mattapoisett 41°39′03″N 70°47′44″W / 41.6509°N 70.7956°W 41 ft (12 m) 1838 1923 1951-1963 active
Newburyport Harbor Light Newburyport 42°48′55″N 70°49′08″W / 42.8152°N 70.8189°W 50 ft (15 m) 1788/1898 1951 active
Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light Newburyport 42°48′41″N 70°51′53″W / 42.8115°N 70.8648°W[note 13][27] 37 ft (11 m)[28] 1873 1961 inactive
Newburyport Harbor Rear Range Light Newburyport 42°48′42″N 70°51′58″W / 42.8116°N 70.8662°W[29] 58 ft (18 m)[28] 1873 1961 inactive
Nobska Light Woods Hole 41°30′57″N 70°39′18″W / 41.5158°N 70.6551°W 87 ft (27 m) 1829/1876 1985 active
Old Scituate Light Scituate 42°12′17″N 70°42′57″W / 42.2048°N 70.7158°W 70 ft (21 m)[30] 1811 1995 1860-1994 active; private aid
Palmer Island Light New Bedford 41°37′37″N 70°54′33″W / 41.6270°N 70.9091°W 34 ft (10 m)[31] 1849 1941 1962-1998[31] active; private aid
Plymouth Light Gurnet Point at entrance to Plymouth Bay 42°00′13″N 70°36′02″W / 42.0037°N 70.6006°W 102 ft (31 m) 1768/1843 1986 active
Point Gammon Light Point Gammon at entrance to Hyannis harbor 41°36′35″N 70°15′58″W / 41.6097°N 70.2662°W[32] 70 ft (21 m)[33] 1816[33] 1858[33] inactive; converted to observation tower
Race Point Light Provincetown, Cape Cod 42°03′44″N 70°14′35″W / 42.0623°N 70.2430°W 41 ft (12 m) 1816/1876 1978 active
Sandy Neck Light Barnstable 41°43′23″N 70°16′52″W / 41.723°N 70.281°W 1827/1857 1931-2007[34][note 14] active; private aid
Sankaty Head Light Nantucket 41°17′04″N 69°57′58″W / 41.2844°N 69.9661°W 158 ft (48 m) 1850 1965 active
Spectacle Island Range Front Light Spectacle Island 42°19′41″N 70°59′07″W / 42.3281°N 70.9853°W[9] 29 ft (8.8 m)[9] 1897 1913 removed
Spectacle Island Range Rear Light Spectacle Island 42°19′39″N 70°59′04″W / 42.3275°N 70.9844°W[9] 54 ft (16 m)[9] 1897 1913 removed
Stage Harbor Light south of Chatham 41°39′31″N 69°59′01″W / 41.6587°N 69.9837°W[35] 1880 1933 inactive
Straitsmouth Island Light Rockport 42°39′44″N 70°35′17″W / 42.6623°N 70.5881°W 46 ft (14 m) 1835/1896 1967 active
Tarpaulin Cove Light Naushon Island 41°28′08″N 70°45′27″W / 41.4688°N 70.7575°W 78 ft (24 m) 1759/1891 1941 active
Ten Pound Island Light Gloucester 42°36′07″N 70°39′56″W / 42.6019°N 70.6656°W 57 ft (17 m) 1821/1881 1934 1956-1989 active
The Graves Light The Graves in Boston Harbor 42°21′54″N 70°52′09″W / 42.3649°N 70.8691°W 98 ft (30 m) 1905 1976 active
Thacher Island North Light[note 15][3] Thacher Island 42°38′22″N 70°34′30″W / 42.6394°N 70.575°W 166 ft (51 m) 1771/1861 1932-1988 active; private aid
The Three Sisters of Nauset Cape Cod National Seashore near North Eastham 41°51′32″N 69°57′26″W / 41.859°N 69.9571°W[note 16][36] 1838/1892 1923 inactive; NPS exhibit[note 17]
West Chop Light Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard 41°28′51″N 70°35′59″W / 41.4808°N 70.5998°W 84 ft (26 m) 1818/1891 1976 active
West Dennis Light[note 18] West Dennis 41°39′07″N 70°10′12″W / 41.652°N 70.170°W 44 ft (13 m) 1855 1914-1989[note 19] active; private aid
Wing's Neck Light Wings Neck on Buzzards Bay 41°40′49″N 70°39′40″W / 41.6802°N 70.6612°W 1849 1945 inactive
Wood End Light Long Point in Provincetown 42°01′17″N 70°11′37″W / 42.0213°N 70.1935°W 45 ft (14 m) 1864/1873 1960 active

Notes

  1. ↑ If there is a second date, it represents the date the most recent tower was lit.
  2. ↑ Briefly lit in 1976
  3. ↑ current location; this light has been moved several times
  4. ↑ surviving tower
  5. ↑ inactive 1898-2001
  6. ↑ location of modern bridge
  7. ↑ previously named Cape Cod Light
  8. ↑ estimated from pier location
  9. ↑ also known as the Hyannis Harbor Light
  10. ↑ became Ipswich Light after removal of front light in range
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 1858 location; light was frequently moved.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 see discussion at Nantucket Beacon
  13. ↑ current location; original location was slightly to the west.
  14. ↑ light displayed on adjacent skeleton tower 1931-1952
  15. ↑ currently designated "Thacher Island North Light" in the light list
  16. ↑ current location; originally they were at Nauset Light
  17. ↑ These towers were sold off piecemeal to private owners and were acquired by the park service in 1965-1975, and were reassembled at their current location in 1990.
  18. ↑ formerly known as Bass River Light
  19. ↑ Also briefly deactivated 1880-1881

References

  1. ↑ "Brant Point, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Northern Massachusetts". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Light List, Volume I, Atlantic Coast, St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2012.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Massachusetts". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
  5. ↑ "Billingsgate Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  6. ↑ "Bird Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  7. ↑ "Brant Point (old), MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the Finances. Washington, DC: William A. Harris. December 6, 1858. pp. 446–447. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 List of Lights and Fog Signals on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. 1900. p. 38.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 "Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Lights: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  11. ↑ Marthas Vineyard to Block Island (Map). 1:80,000. NOAA. 1980. Chart 13218.
  12. ↑ "Section VIII: Light List Corrections". Local Notice to Mariners, District 1 (United States Coast Guard): 20. 2005 week 40. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ↑ Boston Harbor (Map). 1:25,000. NOAA. 1969. Chart 13270.
  14. ↑ "Derby Wharf Light: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Egg Rock Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  16. ↑ "Egg Rock Light: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Cape Cod (Highland), MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Hyannis Harbor Light: History". Jeremy d'Entremont.
  19. ↑ "Hyannis Harbor Light". Jeremy d'Entremont.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Ipswich Bay to Gloucester, Massachusetts (Map). 1:20,000. Department of Commerce. 1930. Chart 243.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 "Long Island Head Light: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Boston Harbor (Map). 1:20,000. US Dept. of Commerce. 1928. Chart 246.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Section VIII: Light List Corrections". Local Notice to Mariners, District 1 (United States Coast Guard): 22. 2012 week 3. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Mayo's Beach, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 "Monomoy Point Light". Jeremy E'Entremont.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 "Nantucket Cliff Range, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  27. ↑ "Newburyport Harbor Range Front, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Newburyport Harbor and Plum Island Sound (Map). 1:20,000. US Dept. of Commerce. 1958. Chart 213.
  29. ↑ "Newburyport Harbor Range Rear, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  30. ↑ "Scituate Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "Palmer's Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  32. ↑ "Point Gammon, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 "Point Gammon Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
  34. ↑ "Sandy Neck, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  35. ↑ "Stage harbor, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
  36. ↑ "Three Sisters, MA". Lighthouse Friends.