Lighthouses_in_the_United_States

List of lighthouses in the United States

List of lighthouses in the United States

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This is a list of lighthouses in the United States. The United States has had approximately a thousand lights as well as light towers, range lights, and pier head lights. Michigan has the most lights of any state with over 150 past and present lights. Lighthouses that are in former U.S. territories are not listed here.

Boston Light, the oldest light station and second oldest lighthouse structure in the US
Charleston Light, the last manned lighthouse built on shore in the United States

Most of the lights in the United States have been built and maintained by the Coast Guard (since 1939) and its predecessors, the United States Lighthouse Service (1910–1939) and the United States Lighthouse Board (1852–1910). Before the Lighthouse Board was established, local collectors of customs were responsible for lighthouses under Stephen Pleasonton. As their importance to navigation has declined and as public interest in them has increased, the Coast Guard has been handing over ownership and in some cases responsibility for running them to other parties, the chief of them being the National Park Service under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.

  • Note: Click on the state of your choice in the tables below to link you to lighthouses in that state.

New England

Boon Island Light in Maine is the tallest in New England.
More information State, Shortest (H) ...

New Hampshire

The state of New Hampshire only has two lighthouses, both of which are located along the Atlantic coastline.[8]

More information Name, Image ...

Vermont

[9]

  • Note: All entries here show the current tower's status; more details can be found in the lighthouse articles.
More information Name, Image ...

Mid-Atlantic

Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest still standing in the United States.
More information State, Shortest (H) ...

Midwest

Michigan has more lighthouses (still standing) than any other state with over 120 listed. Including historical lighthouses, there were 150 built.[19] (Tawas Point Light shown here)
More information State, Shortest (H) ...

Nebraska

The state of Nebraska has at least two faux lighthouses which were first lit in 1939. There is no evidence that either were used for navigational purposes as the state has no large bodies of water that would require the need. Linoma Lighthouse is located on a privately owned recreation area which was developed around an artificial lake, while Lake Minatare Lighthouse was "built to simulate a lighthouse". Also of note is a faux lighthouse called Rock Garden Lighthouse (not listed below), located in Kearney.[26][27]

More information Name, Image ...

Pacific (states)

Clover Island Lighthouse (built 2010), in Washington is the first to be built in the United States since 1962.[28]
More information State, Shortest (H) ...

South

America's tallest lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Light, located on the Outer Banks of North CarolinaB
More information State, Shortest (H) ...

United States territories

Garapan Light in Saipan, one of only two remaining lighthouses built during Japanese occupation

United States Minor Outlying Islands

This table lists lighthouses that are in insular areas of the United States. All of the islands listed below are uninhabited, and have not been formerly incorporated into the country.[36][37][38]

More information Name, Image ...

See also

Further reading

  • Crompton, Samuel Willard & Michael J. Rhein, The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses (2002) ISBN 1-59223-102-0; ISBN 978-1-59223-102-7.
  • Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-8143-2554-8 ISBN 9780814325544.
  • Jones, Ray & Bruce Roberts, American Lighthouses (Globe Pequot, September 1, 1998, 1st Ed.) ISBN 0-7627-0324-5; ISBN 978-0-7627-0324-1.
  • Jones, Ray,The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference (Globe Pequot, January 1, 2004, 1st ed.) ISBN 0-7627-2735-7; ISBN 978-0-7627-2735-3.
  • Noble, Dennis, Lighthouses & Keepers: U. S. Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 1-55750-638-8; ISBN 978-1-55750-638-2.
  • Oleszewski, Wes, Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses, (Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998) ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
  • Penrod, John, Lighthouses of Michigan, (Berrien Center, Michigan: Penrod/Hiawatha, 1998) ISBN 978-0-942618-78-5 ISBN 9781893624238.
  • Penrose, Laurie and Bill, A Traveler's Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses (Petoskey, Michigan: Friede Publications, 1999). ISBN 0-923756-03-5 ISBN 9780923756031
  • Pepper, Terry. "Seeing the Light: Lighthouses on the western Great Lakes". Archived from the original on January 30, 2008.
  • Putnam, George R., Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
  • Roach, Jerry, Ultimate Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses, (2003).
  • Thurston, Harry,Against Darkness and Storm: Lighthouses of the Northeast (Halifax: Nimbus, 1993).
  • United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation, (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
  • Price, Scott T. "U. S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation: A Historical Bibliography". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
  • U.S. Coast Guard, Historically Famous Lighthouses (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1957).
  • Wagner, John L. "Beacons Shining in the Night: The Lighthouses of Michigan". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
  • Wagner, John L., Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective, (East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998) ISBN 1-880311-01-1 ISBN 9781880311011.
  • Weiss, George, The Lighthouse Service, Its History, Activities and Organization (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1926).
  • Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) ISBN 1-55046-399-3.

Notes

A.^ The shortest lighthouse in Massachusetts is either Palmer Island Light at 24 ft (7.3 m) or Brant Point Light at 26 ft (7.9 m). Sources remain split on this issue, with at least one claiming the latter as the shortest in New England.[39][40][41][42]
B.^ The Perry Monument in Ohio and the Statue of Liberty in New York City are not classified as lighthouses. They would come in as the two tallest lighthouses in the United States otherwise.[1][43]
C.^ Minnesota Point Light was built in 1858, but only half of the now ruined tower remains.[44]
D.^ The oldest light station is Pottawatomie Light which was established in 1836; however, the current buildings date to 1858.[45]
E.^ The shortest height is for a skeletal tower which was placed in 1981. For "traditional" lighthouses, Point Retreat Light and Cape Spencer Light are tied at 25 ft (7.6 m) each.
F.^ These two lighthouses are tied at 115 ft (35 m) each.
G.^ The oldest lighthouse in Hawaii was called "Lahaina Lighthouse", which was built in 1905 before it was replaced.[46] Moloka'i Light is the oldest currently standing lighthouse; it was first lit a month before the still standing Makapuu Point Light.[47][48]
H.^ Pass A L'Outre Light was originally constructed in 1852 elsewhere and moved to its present location.[49][50]
I.^ Cat Island Light (first tower), Pass Christian Light, and Ship Island Light were all 30 feet tall.

References

  1. "Lighthouse Listing By Tower height". www.us-lighthouses.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  2. "The Oldest Lighthouse in Each New England State". New England Historical Society. 20 January 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  3. RJ Heller (May 8, 2018). "Fog and lighthouse as mother and father". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  4. "Oldest U.S. lighthouse, the Boston Light, celebrates 300 years". Accociated Press via Navy Times. September 14, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  5. "Isles of Shoals (White Island) Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  6. "Lighthouses of Rhode Island MPS (PDF pp. 46–50)" (PDF). Rhode Island Preservation. Retrieved November 10, 2014.
  7. Susan Hodara (15 August 2014). "Taking In the History of New London, a City Shaped by the Sea". The New York Times.
  8. "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: New Hampshire". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01.
  9. "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Vermont". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01.
  10. Marlo Jappen (July 22, 2015). "Secrets of the Fire Island Lighthouse". Newsday. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  11. Unknown Author (March 11, 2011). Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Voyageur Press. p. 145. ISBN 9780760339510. Retrieved August 27, 2018. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  12. Linda J. Barth (June 25, 2018). New Jersey Originals: Technological Marvels, Odd Inventions, Trailblazing Characters & More. Arcadia Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 9781467139267. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  13. Francis Ross Holland (January 1, 1988). America's Lighthouses. Courier Corporation. p. 11. ISBN 9780486255767. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  14. "Liston Range Rear Light, DE". Kraig Anderson. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  15. Unknown Author (March 11, 2011). Lighthouses of the Mid-Atlantic Coast. Voyageur Press. p. 149. ISBN 9780760339510. Retrieved August 27, 2018. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  16. "Craighill Channel Lower Rear Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  17. "Historic Light Station Information & Photography Maryland". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  18. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the United States: Maryland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  19. "No two lighthouses are alike". Tri County Times. June 29, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  20. "Old Lighthouse Museum oldest in Indiana". The Michigan City News Dispatch. August 14, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  21. "Fort Gratiot Lighthouse". PH Museum. Archived from the original on March 19, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  22. Martin Hintz (2003). Minnesota Family Weekends. Big Earth Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 9781931599221. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  23. "Northwood, OH". Lighthouse Friends. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  24. "Marblehead Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  25. Ken Wardius, and Barb Wardius (2000). Wisconsin Lighthouses: A Photographic & Historical Guide. Big Earth Publishing. p. 72. ISBN 9781879483606. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  26. "Eldred Rock Lighthouse". Sheldon Museum. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  27. "Yaquina Head Lighthouse". Bureau of Land Management. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  28. "Home | Tybee Island Light Station And Museum". tybeelighthouse.org. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  29. Cipra, David L. (1997). Lighthouses, Lightships, and the Gulf of Mexico. Cypress Communications. ISBN 0963641212.
  30. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of U.S. Pacific Remote Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  31. Rowlett, Russ. "Navassa Island Lighthouse". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2016-11-06.
  32. NGA List of Lights – Pub.111 Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  33. "Palmer Island, MA". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  34. "Palmer Island Light Station". National Park Service. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  35. Ray Bartlett (June 14, 2016). Moon Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket. Avalon Publishing. ISBN 9781631212697. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  36. Amy Jenness (October 7, 2014). On This Day in Nantucket History. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781625851598. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  37. Dave Wobser. "Perry's Memorial Monument". lighthouse.boatnerd.com. Archived from the original on March 13, 2017. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  38. "Minnesota Point, MN". LighthouseFriends. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  39. "Pottawatomie (Rock Island) Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  40. "Lahaina Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  41. "Makapu'u Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  42. "Moloka'i (Kalaupapa) Lighthouse". Lighthouse Friends. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  43. Lighthouse Board; Homans, Isaac Smith (November 24, 1856). Northeast Pass Lighthouse; Mouths of the Mississippi River. Vol. 36. p. 367. Retrieved September 6, 2017. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  44. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Louisiana". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved September 5, 2017.

General

Great Lakes


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