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.
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.
| State | Tallest[1] (H) | Shortest (H) | Oldest[2] (currently standing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Boon Island Light 133feet | Pond Island Light 20feet | Portland Head Light (1791)[3] | |
| Massachusetts | Cape Ann Light 124feet | Disputed | Boston Light (1783)[4] | |
| New Hampshire | Isles of Shoals Light 58feet | Portsmouth Harbor Light 48feet | Isles of Shoals Light (1859)[5] | |
| Rhode Island | Sakonnet Light 66feet | Ida Lewis Rock Light 13feet | Poplar Point Light (1831)[6] | |
| Connecticut | New London Harbor Light 89feet[7] | Mystic Seaport Light 25feet | New London Harbor Light (1801) | |
| Vermont | Windmill Point Light 40feet | Whipple Point Light 13feet | Juniper Island Light (1846) |
The state of New Hampshire only has two lighthouses, both of which are located along the Atlantic coastline.
| Name | Image | Location | Coordinates | Year first lit | Automated | Year deactivated | Current lens | Focal height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isles of Shoals Light | Isles of Shoals | 42.9672°N -70.6231°W | 1859 | 1987 | Active | VLB-44 LED unit | 82feet | ||
| Portsmouth Harbor Light | New Castle | 43.0708°N -70.7083°W | 1878 | 1960 | Active | Fourth order Fresnel | 48feet |
| Name | Image | Location | Coordinates | Year first lit | Automated | Year deactivated | Current lens | Focal height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington Breakwater North Light | Burlington | 44.4806°N -73.2298°W | 1857 (Original) 2003 (current) | 2003 (Replica) | Active | 35feet | |||
| Burlington Breakwater South Light | Burlington | 44.47°N -73.2257°W | 1857 (Original) 2003 (current) | 2003 (Replica) | Active | 12feet | |||
| Colchester Reef Light | Shelburne | 44.3753°N -73.2314°W | 1871 | Never | 1933 | None | 35feet | ||
| Isle La Motte Light | Isle La Motte | 44.9065°N -73.3435°W | 1856 (Original) 1881 (current) | 300mm | 25feet | ||||
| Juniper Island Light | South Burlington | 44.45°N -73.2763°W | 1826 (Original) 1846 (current) | Never | 1954 | None | 25feet | ||
| Maxfield Point Light | Orleans | 1879 | None | 40feet | |||||
| Newport Wharf Light | Orleans | 1879 | None | 37feet | |||||
| Windmill Point Light | Isle La Motte | 44.9818°N -73.3418°W | 1830 (Original) 1858 (current) | Active (Inactive: 1931–2002) | 300 mm | 40feet | |||
| Whipple Point Light | Orleans | 1879 | 1906 | None | 25feet |
| State | Tallest (H) | Shortest (H) | Oldest (currently standing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Fire Island Lighthouse 168feet[8] | Cape Vincent Light 15feet | Montauk Point Light (1797)[9] | |
| New Jersey | Absecon Light 171feet[10] | Ludlam's Beach Light 36feet | Sandy Hook Light (1764)[11] | |
| Pennsylvania | Presque Isle Light 68feet | Turtle Rock Light 30feet | Erie Harbor Light (1857) | |
| Delaware | Liston Range Rear Light 120feet[12] | Cherry Island Light 35feet | Fenwick Island Light (1858)[13] | |
| Maryland | Craighill Channel L.R.R. 105feet[14] | Craighill Channel U.R.F. 15feet[15] | Pooles Island Light (1825)[16] |
| State | Tallest (H) | Shortest (H) | Oldest (currently standing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse 26feet | Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse (circa 1963) | ||
| Illinois | Grosse Point Light 113feet | Waukegan Harbor Light 35feet | Grosse Point Light (1873) | |
| Indiana | Buffington Breakwater Light 55feet | Gary Breakwater Light 30feet | Old Michigan City Light (1858)[17] | |
| Michigan | White Shoal Light 121feet | Cheboygan Crib Light 25feet | Fort Gratiot Light (1825)[18] | |
| Minnesota | Duluth South Breakwater I.L. 70feet | Grand Marais Light 34feet | Two Harbors Light (1892)[19] | |
| Nebraska | Linoma Lighthouse 100feet | Lake Minatare Light 55feet | ||
| Ohio | Northwood Light 161feet[20] | Port Clinton Light 20feet | Marblehead Light (1821)[21] | |
| Wisconsin | Rawley Point Light 111feet | Baileys Harbor Front RL 21feet[22] | Baileys Harbor Light (1853) |
The state of Colorado has only one lighthouse, the Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse, also known as the Lake Dillon Lighthouse. It is located in the Dillon Reservoir (also referred to as Lake Dillon) in Summit County, Colorado. Although the exact completion date of the 26-foot tall tower is unknown, it was constructed along with the reservoir itself, which was completed in 1963. The lake is at an elevation of 9017 ft (2748 m), making this the highest elevation lighthouse in the U.S.[23] [24] [25] [26]
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.[27] [28]
| Name | Image | Location | Coordinates | Year first lit | Automated | Year deactivated | Current Lens | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linoma Lighthouse | Gretna | 41.0622°N -96.3189°W | 1939 | Always | Active | Decorative | 100feet | ||
| Lake Minatare Lighthouse | Scottsbluff | 1939 | Always | Active | Decorative | 55feet |
| State | Tallest (H) | Shortest (H) | Oldest (currently standing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Cape Decision Light 75feet | Point Sherman Light 20feet | Eldred Rock Light (1906)[29] | |
| Washington | Grays Harbor Light 107feet | Turn Point Light 20feet | Cape Disappointment (1856) | |
| Oregon | Yaquina Head Light 93feet[30] | Warrior Rock Light 25feet | Cape Blanco Light (1870) | |
| California | Pigeon Point Light Point Arena Light 115feet | Lime Point Light 20feet | Point Pinos Light (1855) | |
| Hawaii | Moloka'i Light 138feet | Kuki'i Point Light 22feet | Moloka'i Light (1909) |
| State | Tallest (H) | Shortest (H) | Oldest (currently standing) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Sand Island Light 131feet[31] | Middle Bay Light 54feet[32] | Sand Island Light (1873) | |
| Florida | Ponce de Leon Light 175feet | Cedar Key Light 23feet[33] | Amelia Island Light (1838) | |
| Georgia | Tybee Island Light 145feet[34] | Cockspur Island Light 46feet | Sapelo Island Light (1820) | |
| Louisiana | New Canal Light< | --also known as "New Basin Canal Lighthouse".--> (1839[35]) | ||
| Mississippi | Biloxi Light 61feet | Tie 30feet | Biloxi Light (1848) | |
| North Carolina | Cape Hatteras Light 210feet | Bald Head Light (1817) | ||
| South Carolina | Morris Island Light 161feet | Haig Point F. R. Light 18feet | Cape Romain Light (Old) (1827) | |
| Texas | Point Bolivar Light 116feet | Point Isabel Light (1852) | ||
| Virginia | Cape Charles Light 191feet | Deepwater Shoals Light (1855) | Cape Henry Lighthouse (1792) |
See main article: List of lighthouses in the United States territories and List of lighthouses in Puerto Rico.
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]
| Name | Image | Location | Coordinates | Year first lit | Automated | Year deactivated | Current Lens | Height | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker Island Light | Baker Island | 0.1958°N -176.4843°W | 1935 | Never | 1942 | None | 16feet | ||
| Howland Island Light (aka: Earhart Light) | Howland Island | 0.8057°N -176.6191°W | 1937 | Never | 1942 | None | 20feet | ||
| Jarvis Island Light | Jarvis Island | -0.3704°N -160.0067°W | 1935 | Never | 1945 | None | 16feet | ||
| Navassa Island Light | Navassa Island | 18.3974°N -75.0128°W | 1917 | 1929 | 1996 | None | 161feet | ||
| Sand Island Aviation Light | Midway Atoll | 28.2119°N -177.3768°W | Active | 46feet | |||||
| Wake Island Aviation Light | Wake Island | 19.2839°N 166.6514°W | Active | 52feet |
A. The shortest lighthouse in Massachusetts is either Palmer Island Light at 24feet or Brant Point Light at 26feet. 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 25feet each.
F. These two lighthouses are tied at 115feet 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.
