List of lighthouses in Massachusetts explained

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. 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.

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, while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard Historical information site for lighthouses. Lighthouses in the "Former" section only include structures that no longer exist.

Existing lighthouses

Traditional

Name	Image <	--try to use modern pictures when possible so the average person can identify with their present look.-->	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Status	Current Lens	Focal Height
Annisquam Harbor Light		Gloucester (Cape Ann)	42.6619°N -70.6815°W	1898	1974	Active	190mm	045 45feet
Bakers Island Light		Salem	42.5364°N -70.7859°W	1821	1972	Active	190mm	111 111feet
Bird Island Light		Marion (Buzzards Bay)	41.6694°N -70.7174°W	1819	1997 (Relit)	Active (Inactive: 1933-1997)	ML-300^[2]	047 47feet^[3]
Borden Flats Light		Fall River (Taunton River)	41.7044°N -71.1744°W	1881	1963	Active	250mm	047 47feet
Boston Light		Boston (Little Brewster Island)	42.328°N -70.8901°W	1783	1998	Active	Second-order Fresnel	102 102feet
Brant Point Light (old)			41.2898°N -70.0924°W^[4]	1856	Never	Inactive	None	046 46feet^[5]
Brant Point Light (new)			41.29°N -70.0903°W	1901	1965	Active	Fifth-order Fresnel	026 26feet
Butler Flats Light		New Bedford (Acushnet River)	41.603°N -70.894°W	1898	1978	Active	Fifth-order Fresnel	025 25feet
Cape Ann Light Station (aka: Thacher Island Lights)		Rockport (Thacher Island)	42.6368°N -70.5749°W	1861	1979 (South Tower) 1989 (North Tower)	Active	VRB-25	166 166feet
Cape Poge Light		Edgartown (Chappaquiddick Island)	41.4194°N -70.4523°W	1893	1943	Active	300mm	065 65feet
Chatham Light		Chatham	41.6713°N -69.9502°W	1877	1982	Active	DCB-224	080 80feet
Clarks Point Light		New Bedford	41.5932°N -70.9014°W	1869	2001 (Relit)	Active (Inactive: 1898-2001)	250mm	068 68feet
Cleveland East Ledge Light		Falmouth	41.631°N -70.6942°W	1943	1978	Active	190mm	074 74feet
Derby Wharf Light		Salem	42.5165°N -70.8835°W	1871	1917^[6]	Active (Inactive: 1977-1983)	Optic	025 25feet
Duxbury Pier Light		Duxbury (Plymouth Harbor)	41.9874°N -70.6485°W	1871	1961	Active	Fourth-order Fresnel	035 35feet
East Chop Light		Oak Bluffs	41.4703°N -70.5675°W	1878	1933	Active	300mm	079 79feet
Eastern Point Light		Gloucester (Cape Ann)	42.5802°N -70.6644°W	1890	1985	Active	DCB-24	057 57feet
Edgartown Harbor Light		Edgartown	41.3909°N -70.5031°W	1881	1939	Active	250mm	045 45feet
Fort Pickering Light		Salem (Winter Island)	42.5264°N -70.8664°W	1871	1983	Active (Inactive: 1969-1983)		028 28feet
Gay Head Light		Aquinnah	41.3484°N -70.835°W	1856	1956	Active	DCB-224	170 170feet
Great Point Light		Nantucket	41.3902°N -70.0483°W	1986	Always	Active	VRB-25	071 71feet
Highland Light		Truro (North Truro)	41.3909°N -70.5031°W	1857^[7]	1987	Active	LED	170 170feet
Hospital Point Range Front Light		Beverly	42.5465°N -70.856°W	1872	1947	Active	Third-order Fresnel	070 70feet
Hospital Point Range Rear Light		Beverly	42.5483°N -70.8785°W	1927		Active		183 183feet
Ipswich Rear Range Light		Ipswich	42.6853°N -70.7662°W	1881	Never	Removed	None	042 42feet
Long Island Head Light		Boston (Long Island)	42.3302°N -70.9577°W	1901^[8]	1929	Active (Inactive: 1982-1985)	Acrylic	120 120feet
Long Point Light		Provincetown (Long Point)	42.0331°N -70.1687°W	1875	1952	Active	300mm	036 36feet
Marblehead Light		Marblehead	42.5054°N -70.8337°W^[9]	1895	1960	Active	300mm	130 130feet
Mayo Beach Light		Wellfleet (Mayo Beach)	41.9307°N -70.0343°W^[10]	1881	Never	Removed	None	Unknown
Minot's Ledge Light		Cohasset	42.0331°N -70.1687°W	1860	1947	Active	300mm	085 85feet
Monomoy Point Light		Chatham (Monomoy Island)	41.559°N -69.994°W^[11]	1849	Never	Inactive	None	047 47feet
Nantucket Cliff Range Lights		Nantucket	41.294°N -70.107°W^[12]	1889	Never	Inactive	None	Unknown
Nantucket Harbor Range Lights		Nantucket (Brant Point)	41.2898°N -70.0923°W (Front Light) 41.2893°N -70.0919°W (Rear Light)	1908		Active		035 35feet (Front Light) 51feet (Rear Light)
Nauset Beach Light		Eastham (Nauset Beach)	41.86°N -69.953°W	1923	1955	Active	DCB-224	120 120feet
Ned Point Light		Mattapoisett	41.6509°N -70.7956°W	1838	1923	Active (Inactive: 1951-1963)	250mm	041 41feet
Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light		Newburyport	42.8115°N -70.8648°W^[13]	1873	1952	Inactive	None	037 37feet^[14]
Newburyport Harbor Light		Newburyport	42.8152°N -70.8189°W	1898	1951	Active	Fourth-order Fresnel	050 50feet
Newburyport Harbor Rear Range Light		Newburyport	42.8116°N -70.8662°W^[15]	1873		Inactive	None	058 58feet
Nobska Light		Woods Hole	41.5158°N -70.6551°W	1876	1985	Active	Fourth-order Fresnel	087 87feet
Old Scituate Light		Scituate (Scituate Harbor)	42.2048°N -70.7158°W	1811	1994 (Relit)	Active (Inactive: 1860-1994)	Replica lantern	070 70feet^[16]
Palmer Island Light		New Bedford	41.627°N -70.9091°W	1849	1941	Active (Inactive: 1962-1998)	Fifth-order Fresnel	034 34feet^[17]
Plymouth Light		Plymouth	42.0037°N -70.6006°W	1843	1986	Active	100mm	102 102feet
Point Gammon Light		Hyannis	41.6097°N -70.2662°W^[18]	1816	Never	Inactive	None	070 70feet^[19]
Race Point Light		Provincetown	42.0623°N -70.243°W	1876	1972	Active	VRB-25	041 41feet
Sandy Neck Light		Barnstable	41.723°N -70.281°W	1857	2007 (Relit)	Active (Inactive: 1931-2007)^[20]	LED
Sankaty Head Light		Nantucket (Siasconset)	41.2844°N -69.9661°W	1850	1965	Active	DCB-224	158 158feet
Stage Harbor Light		Chatham	41.6587°N -69.9837°W^[21]	1880	Never	Inactive	None	Unknown
Straitsmouth Island Light		Rockport	42.6623°N -70.5881°W	1896	1967	Active	250mm	046 46feet
Tarpaulin Cove Light		Gosnold (Naushon Island)	41.4688°N -70.7575°W	1891	1941	Active	300mm	078 78feet
Ten Pound Island Light		Gloucester	42.6019°N -70.6656°W	1881	1934	Active (Inactive: 1956-1989)	250mm	057 57feet
The Graves Light		Boston (The Graves)	42.3649°N -70.8691°W	1905	1976	Active	VRB-25	098 98feet
Three Sisters of Nauset		Eastham	41.859°N -69.9571°W^[22]	1892	Never	Inactive	None	Unknown
West Chop Light		Tisbury	41.4808°N -70.5998°W	1891	1976	Active	Fourth-order Fresnel	084 84feet
West Dennis Light		West Dennis	41.652°N -70.17°W	1855	1989 (Relit)	Active (Inactive: 1914-1989)	300mm	044 44feet
Wing's Neck Light		Pocasset	41.6802°N -70.6612°W	1889	Never	Inactive	None	Unknown
Wood End Light		Provincetown (Long Point)	42.0213°N -70.1935°W	1872	1960	Active	VRB-25	045 45feet

Modern

The United States Coast Guard lists these as active lighthouses.

Name	Image <	--try to use modern pictures when possible so the average person can identify with their present look.-->	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Status	Current Lens	Focal Height
Buzzards Bay Entrance Light		Buzzards Bay	41.397°N -71.0347°W	1997	Active		067 67feet
Ipswich Light		Ipswich	42.6853°N -70.7662°W	1939	Active		042 42feet

Former lighthouses

Name	Image	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Year deactivated	Light	Focal Height
Annisquam Harbor Light		Gloucester (Cape Ann)	42.6619°N -70.6815°W	1851	Never	1897	Fifth-order Fresnel lens	040 40feet
Bakers Island Light		Salem	42.5364°N -70.7859°W	1815	Never	1926	Fourth-order Fresnel lens
Billingsgate Island Light		Wellfleet (Billingsgate Island)	41.871°N -70.068°W^[23]	1858	Never	1915 (Destroyed)	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	040 40feet
Bishop and Clerks Light		Hyannis	41.5743°N -70.2501°W	1858	1923	1928 (Demolished in 1952)	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	059 59feet
Boston Light		Boston (Little Brewster Island)	42.328°N -70.8901°W	1716	Never	1776 (Destroyed)	Tallow candles	075 75feet
Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Lights		Boston (Spectacle Island)	42.3278°N -70.9842°W (Front Light) 42.3275°N -70.9853°W (Rear Light)	1903	Never	1950 (Removed)	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	053 53feet^[24] (Front) 70feet (Rear)
Buzzards Bay Entrance Light		Buzzards Bay	41.397°N -71.0347°W	1961	1980	1997		101 101feet^[25]
Clarks Point Light		New Bedford	41.5932°N -70.9014°W	1818	Never	1906		068 68feet
Cuttyhunk Light		Gosnold (Cuttyhunk Island)	41.414°N -70.95°W	1891	Never	1947	Fifth-order Fresnel lens	063 63feet
Deer Island Light		Boston (Deer Island)	42.3399°N -70.9545°W	1890	1960	1982 (Destroyed in 1984)		053 53feet^[26]
Dumpling Rocks Light		Buzzards Bay	41.538°N -70.921°W	1829	Never	1938 (Destroyed)	Fifth-order Fresnel lens
Egg Rock Light		Egg Rock (Near Nahant)	42.433°N -70.898°W	1856	1918^[27]	1922 (Destroyed in 1927)	Fifth-order Fresnel lens	090 90feet^[28]
Falmouth Inner Light		Falmouth	41.5421°N -70.6083°W					025 25feet
Fairhaven Bridge Light		Fairhaven	41.6392°N -70.9175°W	1888	Never	1891 (Razed)
Great Point Light		Nantucket	41.3902°N -70.0483°W	1817	1955	1984 (Destroyed)	Third-order Fresnel lens	071 71feet
Hyannis Front Range Light			41.634°N -70.289°W	1885	Never	1929 (Removed)	Fifth-order Fresnel lens	020 20feet
Hyannis Rear Range Light		Hyannis	41.636°N -70.2885°W^[29]	1849	Never	1929 (Removed)	Fifth-order Fresnel lens	043 43feet^[30]
Ipswich Front Range Light		Ipswich	42.686°N -70.765°W^[31]	1867	Never	1932		025 25feet
Long Island Head Light		Boston (Long Island)	42.3302°N -70.9577°W	1844	Never	1881	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	120 120feet
Long Point Light		Provincetown (Long Point)	42.0331°N -70.1687°W	1827	Never	1873	Sixth-order Fresnel lens	036 36feet
Lovells Island Range Lights		Boston (Lovells Island)	42.3328°N -70.9303°W (Front Light) 42.3319°N -70.9311°W (Rear Light)	1903	Never	1939	None	031 31feet^[32] (Front Light) 40feet (Rear Light)
Marblehead Light		Marblehead	42.5054°N -70.8337°W	1835	Never	1895	Sixth-order Fresnel lens	130 130feet
Nantucket Beacon			41.273°N -70.073°W	1807 c.1807	Never		Lanterns	024 24feet
Race Point Light		Provincetown	42.0623°N -70.243°W	1816	Never	1876	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	025 25feet
Spectacle Island Range Lights		Boston (Spectacle Island)	42.3281°N -70.9853°W^[33] (Front Light) 42.3275°N -70.9844°W (Rear Light)	1897	Never	1913	None	029 29feet (Front Light) 54feet (Rear Light)
Ten Pound Island Light		Gloucester	42.6019°N -70.6656°W	1821	Never	1881		057 57feet
Twin Lights		Chatham	41.6713°N -69.9502°W	1841	Never	1877	Fourth-order Fresnel lens	040 40feet

See also

• List of lighthouses in Maine
• Lighthouses in New Hampshire and Vermont
• List of lighthouses in Rhode Island
• List of lighthouses in Connecticut
• List of lighthouses in New York (state)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Brant Point, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
2. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20221030121706/https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/ma2.htm. October 30, 2022. Lighthouses of the United States: Southeastern Massachusetts. Russ Rowlett. University of North Carolina. May 24, 2022. March 11, 2023.
3. Web site: Bird Island Light. Jeremy D'Entremont.
4. Web site: Brant Point (old), MA. Lighthouse Friends.
5. Book: Report of the Secretary of the Treasury on the State of the Finances. December 6, 1858. William A. Harris. Washington, DC. 446–447. 2012-09-28.
6. Web site: Derby Wharf Light: History. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
7. Web site: Cape Cod (Highland), MA. Lighthouse Friends.
8. Web site: Long Island Head Light: History. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
9. Local Notice to Mariners, District 1. 2012 . week 3. 22. Section VIII: Light List Corrections. United States Coast Guard.
10. Web site: Mayo's Beach, MA . Lighthouse Friends . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071013164002/http://lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=610 . 2007-10-13 .
11. Web site: Monomoy Point Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy E'Entremont.
12. Web site: Nantucket Cliff Range, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
13. Web site: Newburyport Harbor Range Front, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
14. Newburyport Harbor and Plum Island Sound. US Dept. of Commerce. 1958. 1:20,000. Chart 213. 2012-09-17. 2017-09-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20170911071306/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/LC00213_04_1958. dead.
15. Web site: Newburyport Harbor Range Rear, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
16. Web site: Scituate Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
17. Web site: Palmer's Island Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
18. Web site: Point Gammon, MA . Lighthouse Friends . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121004115643/http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=485 . 2012-10-04 .
19. Web site: Point Gammon Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
20. Web site: Sandy Neck, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
21. Web site: Stage harbor, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
22. Web site: Three Sisters, MA. Lighthouse Friends.
23. Web site: Billingsgate Island Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
24. Web site: Broad Sound Channel Inner Range Lights: History. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
25. Marthas Vineyard to Block Island. NOAA. 1980. 1:80,000. Chart 13218. 2012-09-15. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191102/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/13218-11-1980. dead.
26. Boston Harbor. NOAA. 1969. 1:25,000. Chart 13270. 2012-09-14. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053510/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/LC00246_02_1969. dead.
27. Web site: Egg Rock Light: History. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
28. Web site: Egg Rock Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy D'Entremont.
29. Web site: Hyannis Harbor Light. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy d'Entremont.
30. Web site: Hyannis Harbor Light: History. 11 October 2023 . Jeremy d'Entremont.
31. Ipswich Bay to Gloucester, Massachusetts. Department of Commerce. 1930. 1:20,000. Chart 243. 2012-09-27. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053516/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/LC00243_03_1930. dead.
32. Boston Harbor. US Dept. of Commerce. 1928. 1:20,000. Chart 246. 2012-09-17. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053519/http://historicalcharts.noaa.gov/historicals/preview/image/LC00213_07_1928. dead.
33. Book: List of Lights and Fog Signals on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. 38. 1900. Washington, DC. US Government Printing Office.