Lighthouses of Northern Massachusetts

A small state with a long coastline and many harbors, Massachusetts has a large number of lighthouses. This page lists the lighthouses of the northern part of the state, including Newburyport, the Cape Ann area, Massachusetts Bay and Boston Harbor, and the Plymouth area. (Lighthouses of Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and the south coast are on the Southeastern Massachusetts page.) Boston is the largest port of the New England states, and the Cape Ann area includes several historic and busy fishing ports. Many of the lighthouses of this region are famous. The Boston Harbor Light is the second oldest U.S. lighthouse and the oldest U.S. light station.

Although there is no state preservation society, there are many local societies. There have been substantial preservation efforts at many lighthouses in recent years, although several towers remain in need of attention.

Jeremy D'Entremont's book, The Lighthouses of Massachusetts (Beverly, Mass.: Commonwealth Editions, 2007) is an indispensible resource for information on these lighthouses.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Vol. I of the USCG Light List.

General Sources

New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide - Massachusetts

Data and photos for all of the lighthouses; an outstanding resource created by Jeremy D'Entremont.

Lighthouses of Massachusetts

Photos, travel directions, and brief accounts from Kraig Anderson's Lighthouse Friends site.

Lighthouses in Massachusetts, United States

Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.

Coast Guard Lighthouses - Massachusetts

Historic photos and notes posted by the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office.

Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten

Historic postcard images of U.S. lighthouses posted by Klaus Huelse.

National Maritime Inventory - Massachusetts

National Park Service inventory of Maine lighthouse data.

Massachusetts Lights

From Bill Britten's Lighthouse Getaway site: fine photos of many of the state's better-known lighthouses.

Lighthouses of Massachusetts

Photos and accounts by Gary Richardson and Anna Klein; part of their Cyberlights site.

Gurnet Light
Plymouth (Gurnet) Light, July 2008
Creative Commons photo by Jack Haskell

Newburyport Lighthouses
* Newburyport Harbor Range Rear: 1873. Inactive since 1961. 53 ft (16 m) square tapered red brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story wood keeper's house. Lantern and gallery painted black. The keeper's house is used for offices. Bob Indrums has a good closeup photo, Anderson also has a good closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The Lighthouse Preservation Society has reached an agreement with the owner, developer David Hall, to have the structure restored and interpreted. LPS is offering the tower on May through October evenings for dinners for two at $350, with half going to the preservation fund. Located on Water Street between Federal Street near Independent Street in downtown Newburyport, about 0.4 mile (650 m) east of US 1. Site and tower closed (private). Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-545.
* Newburyport Harbor Range Front: 1873. Inactive since 1961. 15 ft (4.5 m) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is red. The lantern is a restoration (1990). In 1901 the original lanern was removed and the tower was extended with an octagonal wood tower, later raised to a total tower height of 35 ft (12 m). Bob Indrums has a good closeup photo, Anderson has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1964 from Bayley's Wharf to the grounds of the Merrimack River Coast Guard Station. Sometime in the late 1980s the tower was damaged by fire; the Coast Guard then removed the wooden extension and added the replica of the original lantern. In 1999 the Coast Guard agreed to lease the tower to the Lighthouse Preservation Society for full restoration and interpretation. Campbell Construction Group performed some renovation in late 2001. Located on the waterfront between Federal Street and Independent Street. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Lighthouse Preservation Society . ARLHS USA-1097.
** Newburyport Harbor (Plum Island) (4): 1898 (station established 1788). Active; focal plane 50 ft (15 m); green light, occulting twice every 15 s (occultations separated by 4 s). 45 ft (13.5 m) round wood-shingled tower with lantern and gallery, 4° Fresnel lens (1856, transferred from the 1838 tower) in use. 2-story wood keeper's house (1898). Anderson has a fine page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The original keeper's house was for a long time the headquarters of the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. A new Refuge headquarters and visitor center was completed in 2004. A local support group, Friends of Plum Island Light, Inc., leased the lighthouse from the Coast Guard in 1996 and has been working ever since to maintain and restore the lighthouse. Ownership of the lighthouse was conveyed to the City of Newburyport in May 2003; Friends of Plum Island Light now leases the tower from the city. They hope to acquire the keeper's house as a museum and visitor center. The tower was renovated in 1994 and re-shingled in 1997 by the Coast Guard. Located near the end of Northern Boulevard, at the north end of Plum Island on the south side of the Newburyport Harbor entrance. Site open; tower open for tours every other weekend in the summer. Owner: City of Newburyport. Site manager: Friends of Plum Island Light. ARLHS USA-544; Admiralty J0250; USCG 1-0260.
Cape Ann Area Lighthouses

Cape Ann (Thacher Island South) (2): 1861 (station established 1771). Active; focal plane 166 ft (50.5 m); red flash every 5 s. One of twin 124 ft (38 m) unpainted round granite towers with lantern and gallery, siblings of Maine's Boon Island Light. Solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon; the original 1° Fresnel lens is on display at the U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London, CT. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has fine aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. These two towers are the tallest Massachusetts lighthouses. In 2001, Cape Ann became the ninth light station recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and in August 2001 the Coast Guard transferred ownership of the south tower and the southern half of the island to the Town of Rockport. Ongoing restoration efforts are returning this historic light station to its late 19th century appearance. The boat ramp was rebuilt in 2000, and renovation of the assistant keeper's house was completed in 2002; the house is occupied during the summer by resident caretakers. Restoration of the principal keeper's house was completed in 2007. The principal keeper's house now houses resident caretakers. Accessible only by boat; tours are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays in July and August (reservations required). Located on the southeast side of the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Town of Rockport. Site manager: Thacher Island Association, Inc. ARLHS USA-105; Admiralty J0276; USCG 1-0295.
Ten Pound Island (2): 1881 (station established 1821). Reactivated (inactive 1956-1989); focal plane 57 ft (17.5 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 30 ft (9 m) round cast iron tower (brick lined) with lantern and gallery, 250 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. the original 5° Fresnel lens is at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland, Maine. Fog horn (2 blasts every 20 s). Keeper's house demolished in 1956. Anderson has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is familiar from the paintings of Winslow Homer. Restored through efforts of the Lighthouse Preservation Society in 1989. The oil house was restored in 1995. Located on an island in the middle of Gloucester Harbor. The city maintains walking paths to the lighthouse. Island accessible only by boat; water taxis available in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Gloucester. ARLHS USA-839; Admiralty J0284; USCG 1-9895.

Salem Area Lighthouses
Baker's Island (2): 1820 (station established 1798). Active; focal plane 111 ft (34 m); flash every 10 s, alternating red and white. 59 ft (18 m) round old-style granite tower with lantern and gallery, solar-powered rotating 190 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house (1878) and assistant keeper's house, both leased as summer residences. The 4° Fresnel lens (1855) is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland, Maine. Brick fog signal building (1907). Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is a historic and well-preserved light station with an outstanding example of an old-style stone light tower. The station had two wood towers originally. In 1815 both were heavily damaged by a storm, and they were replaced by a single octagonal stone lighthouse. The present round tower was added in 1820. The 1815 tower was deactivated and demolished in 1926. Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the two towers. Major restoration work to the 1820 tower was done in 1996. In 2000 the Coast Guard solarized the light and restored the fog signal building. In 2002 the light station was listed for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, and in 2005 transfer of ownership to the Essex National Heritage Commission was approved. This transfer was challenged in court by a group of island landowners who had organized as the Baker's Island Lighthouse Preservation Society; they feared that transfer to ENHC will lead to public access to the island. In October 2006 a judge ruled against the society, clearing the way for the transfer to take place. As of November 2009, it had not yet occurred. The Society hopes to offer guided tours of the light station eventually, probably using boat transportation to reach the site. Located at the north end of Baker's Island, about 5 km (3 mi) east of the entrance to Salem Harbor. Accessible only by boat; visible from many points in Salem and Marblehead. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Baker's Island Association. ARLHS USA-031; Admiralty J0288; USCG 1-0350.
[Bowditch Ledge Daybeacon]: Date uncertain. 30 ft (9 m) pyramidal granite tower topped by a red and white diamond-shaped daymarker. Although the ledge is popularly associated with the famous navigator Nathaniel Bowditch, it is actually named for William Bowditch, Nathaniel's great-grandfather, who wrecked his ship Essex Galley on the ledge in 1700. Located about 1 mile west of Baker's Island and 1 mile southeast of Allen Head. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 1-10025.
* Hospital Point Range Front: 1872. Active; focal plane 70 ft (21 m); continuous white light, higher intensity on the range line. 45 ft (13.5 m) square brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story Queen Anne wood keeper's house (1871, modified 1968). Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Buildings floodlit at night. The original 3-1/2° Fresnel lens remains in use; a rare "condensing panel" intensifies the light along the range line. Original brick oil house. The keeper's house is the residence of the Commander of the First Coast Guard District. Bob Indrums has a good photo, Anderson has photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of Bay View Avenue (continuation of East Corning Street), off MA 127 in Beverly, on the north side of the entrance to Beverly Harbor. Site and tower closed except for an annual open house, but parking is available nearby. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-389; Admiralty J0290; USCG 1-10000.
* Hospital Point Range Rear: 1927. Active; focal plane 183 ft (56 m); continuous white light visible only along the range line. Light displayed through a square opening in the steeple of the First Baptist Church of Beverly. The Coast Guard has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The church was largely destroyed by fire in August 1975, but the steeple remained standing and a new building was built around it. Located at Cabot and Abbott Streets in downtown Beverly, 2050 ft (625 m) west of the front range light. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: First Baptist Church in Beverly. ARLHS USA-390; Admiralty J0290.1; USCG 1-10005.

Boston Harbor Lighthouses
Deer Island (2): 1982 (station established 1890). Active; focal plane 53 ft (16 m); flash every 5 s, alternating red and white. 33 ft (10 m) round brown fiberglass tower mounted on the cast iron foundation of a sparkplug tower demolished in 1982. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Anderson also has good photos, Lighthouse Digest has an article with the history of the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The removal of the historic lighthouse (seen in Huelse's postcard view) was a great loss, but the fiberglass light is of some interest. Prefabricated in England, it is the first fiberglass lighthouse in the U.S. Deer Island is included in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Located in the entrance to Boston's Inner Harbor off the southern end of Deer Island. Visible from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority plant on Deer Island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1096; Admiralty J0324; USCG 1-10795.
Long Island Head (4): 1900 (station established 1819). Reactivated (inactive 1982-1985); focal plane 120 ft (36.5 m); white flash every 2.5 s. 52 ft (16 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, solar-powered 250 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Keeper's house demolished. Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Eastern Point Light. This the second oldest light station in the harbor. The original 23 ft (7 m) rubblestone tower was replaced in 1844 by the first cast iron lighthouse built in the U.S. It was replaced in 1881 by a second cast iron tower, similar to Race Point Light on Cape Cod. In 1900, that light had to be removed to make way for an extension of Fort Strong. The brick tower, built in 1900 as a replacement, was renovated in 1998. Located on the northern tip of Long Island at the entrance to Boston's Inner Harbor. Long Island, included in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, is connected to the mainland by a causeway, but access to the lighthouse is blocked by a state hospital. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-449; Admiralty J0337; USCG 1-10800.

Plymouth County Lighthouses
Minot's Ledge (2): 1860 (Barton S. Alexander). Active; focal plane 85 ft (26 m); 8 flashes every 45 s, in a unique 1+4+3 pattern: 1 flash, 5 s off, 4 flashes, 5 s off, 3 flashes. 114 ft (35 m) unpainted round granite tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating keeper's quarters; solar-powered 300 mm lens (1983). Lantern and watch room painted gray. A 3° Fresnel lens (used 1964-1971) is on display in a replica lantern at the 2-story wood keeper's house (1858) located onshore on Government Island in Cohasset. Fog bell also on display. Assistant keeper's house and oil house also located on Government Island. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the lighthouse, Anderson has a fine page for the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is famous for its highly exposed location; the first tower (1850) was swept away by waves in less than a year (April 1851). This tower took 5 years to build and is still considered a major engineering accomplishment. The tower was restored in 1989. The onshore keeper's house was restored in 1992-93 through the efforts of the Cohasset Lightkeepers Corporation. In 2009 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA. The Scituate Historical Society and town officials in Scituate and Cohasset are working together on the possibility of acquiring the lighthouse. Located about 2 km (1.25 mi) northeast of Minot Point. Lighthouse accessible only by boat. Light tower closed, but the Cohasset keeper's house is open. Tower owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. Onshore station owner: Town of Cohasset; site manager: Cohasset Lightkeepers Corp. ARLHS USA-502; Admiralty J0360; USCG 1-0440.
Plymouth (Gurnet) (3): 1843 (station established 1769). Active; focal plane 102 ft (31 m); 3 white flashes every 30 s, flashes separated by 5 s; a red sector covers dangerous rocks. 34 ft (10 m) old-style octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, covered by cedar shingles; 190 mm lens. Tower painted white; lantern black with red roof. Fog horn (2 blasts every 15 s). The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Hull Lifesaving Museum in Hull. Modern ranch style keeper's house (1963). Jack Haskell's photo is at the top of this page, Anderson also has a good page for this lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a March 2003 article on the history of the light station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Originally the station had twin lighthouses (as seen in Huelse's historic postcard view); foundations remain of the former north tower, demolished in 1924. This is the nation's oldest active wooden light tower and the only survivor of many small wooden pyramidal lighthouses built in New England prior to 1850. The lighthouse was relocated 140 ft (43 m) north in December 1998 to escape beach erosion. Project Bug Light leased the lighthouse from the Coast Guard in 1999.Located on a bluff at Gurnet Point, at the end of a long sand spit on the north side of Plymouth Harbor. There is no public road access; the lighthouse is accessible by boat or by a 5-mile (8 km) hike on the beach from Duxbury Beach. Site open, tower closed except for occasional open house events. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Project Gurnet and Bug Lights. ARLHS USA-609; Admiralty J0366; USCG 1-12545.
Duxbury Pier ("Bug Light"): 1871. Active; focal plane 35 ft (10.5 m); 2 red flashes every 5 s. 47 ft (14.5 m) round sparkplug cast iron tower (brick lined) with lantern and upper and lower galleries, incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters and mounted on a concrete caisson; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). Lower half of lighthouse is red, upper portion white, lantern black. Luis Lebron has a fine photo, Anderson has a closeup, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is the oldest of the U.S. sparkplug towers and the first caisson lighthouse built in the U.S. The lighthouse is chronically endangered by age and weather. Project Gurnet and Bug Lights worked to restore the tower in the mid-80's and again in the mid 90's. In 2001, Campbell Construction completed a $40,000 restoration and repair project. Lighthouse Digest has a September 2001 feature on restoration efforts here and at the Gurnet (previous entry). In 2009, teh Coast Guard agreed to repair the upper gallery handrail and lantern windows; additional repairs and a repainting are scheduled for 2010. Located in Duxbury Bay (not on a pier) on the north side of the entrance channel to Plymouth. Accessible only by boat; visible from Plymouth Harbor boat tours. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Project Gurnet and Bug Lights. ARLHS USA-251; Admiralty J0368; USCG 1-12580.

Notable faux lighthouse:

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Lights (1903-late 1940s), Boston Harbor. ARLHS USA-953 (front) and 954 (rear).
Egg Rock (1897-1922), off Nahant. ARLHS USA-956.
Ipswich Range Lights (1881-1939, rear range tower relocated to Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard), Ipswich Harbor. ARLHS USA-403 (front).
Narrows (1856-1929), Boston Harbor. ARLHS USA-960.
Spectacle Island Range Lights (1897-1913), Boston Harbor. ARLHS USA-953 (front) and 954 (rear).

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