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. 1858 location; light was frequently moved.
12. 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. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Northern Massachusetts". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
3. Light List, Volume I, Atlantic Coast, St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2012.
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. 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. 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. "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. "Egg Rock Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
16. "Egg Rock Light: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
17. "Cape Cod (Highland), MA". Lighthouse Friends.
18. "Hyannis Harbor Light: History". Jeremy d'Entremont.
19. "Hyannis Harbor Light". Jeremy d'Entremont.
20. Ipswich Bay to Gloucester, Massachusetts (Map). 1:20,000. Department of Commerce. 1930. Chart 243.
21. "Long Island Head Light: History". Jeremy D'Entremont.
22. Boston Harbor (Map). 1:20,000. US Dept. of Commerce. 1928. Chart 246.
23. "Section VIII: Light List Corrections" (PDF). Local Notice to Mariners, District 1. United States Coast Guard: 22. 2012 week 3. Check date values in: |date= (help)
24. "Mayo's Beach, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
25. "Monomoy Point Light". Jeremy E'Entremont.
26. "Nantucket Cliff Range, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
27. "Newburyport Harbor Range Front, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
28. 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. "Palmer's Island Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
32. "Point Gammon, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
33. "Point Gammon Light". Jeremy D'Entremont.
34. "Sandy Neck, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
35. "Stage harbor, MA". Lighthouse Friends.
36. "Three Sisters, MA". Lighthouse Friends.