Inventory of Historic Light Stations--Massachusetts--Boston Harbor Light

Inventory of Historic Light Stations
Massachusetts Lighthouses

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BOSTON LIGHT

State: MASSACHUSETTS
Location: LITTLE BREWSTER ISLAND / BOSTON HARBOR
Nearest City: BOSTON
County: SUFFOLK
U.S.C.G. District: 1
Year Station Established: 1716

Photo courtesy USCG Light Station Boston

Existing Historic Tower:

Year Light First Lit: 1783
Is the Light Operational? YES
Date Deactivated: N/A
Automated: 1998
Foundation Materials: GRANITE LEDGE
Construction Materials: RUBBLE STONE/BRICK LINING
Markings/Patterns: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Shape: CONICAL
Relationship to Other Structures: SEPARATE
Tower Height: 89
Original Optic: TALLOW CANDLES
Year Original Lens Installed: 1716
Present Optic: SECOND ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Present Lens Installed: 1859
Height of Focal Plane: 102
Fresnel Lens Disposition: STILL IN OPERATION
Has tower been moved? NO

Previous Tower(s):

1. Construction Date: 1716
Description: STONE
Fate/Disposition: BLOWN UP BY BRITISH 1776

Modern Tower? NO

Existing Sound Signal Building? YES

Year Constructed: 1876
Construction Materials: BRICK
Architectural Style: VERNACULAR
Fog Signal Type: HORN/ORIG. CANNON

Existing Keepers Quarters? YES

Year Constructed: 1884
Number of Stories: 2
Architectural Style: STICK STYLE VICTORIAN
Construction Materials: WOOD

Other Structures: 1899 WOODEN BOATHOUSE, 1884 WOODEN CISTERN, 1889 BRICK OIL HOUSE, FOUNDATIONS OF FORMER AUXILIARY LIGHT; ORIG. CONNECTING WALKWAY

Current Use: ACTIVE AID TO NAVIGATION

Owner/Manager: U.S. COAST GUARD

Open to the Public? YES (Go to Lighthouses to Visit for access information)

Web Site:

National Register Status: LISTED; Reference #66000133
Name of Listing: BOSTON LIGHT (LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS TR)
On State List/Inventory? YES; Year Listed: 1987

NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK Study

Miscellaneous:
FIRST LIGHT STATION IN U.S.; 2ND OLDEST TOWER; SITE OF FOG HORN EXPERIMENTS 1893-1895; ONLY U.S. LIGHTHOUSE STILL MANNED; LARGER DUPLEX DWELLING RAZED 1960

Last Modified: Mon, July 28 2003 10:56:02 am EDT
JMP

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