Lighthouses

Discover the historic Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark in the Chesapeake Bay. This restored offshore beacon offers engaging exhibits, interactive displays, and stunning views. Travel by boat to explore its maritime history and the vital role of lighthouses in navigation. Don’t miss the chance to experience the Bay’s rich stories and enjoy the beautiful surrounding area!

An exciting piece of history, this building houses the original first order Fresnel Lens which once illuminated the Fire Island Lighthouse

Amidst the rock-strewn shoreline and the drumlin meadows of Lovells Island resides a unique history that is part of the kaleidoscopic makeup of the Boston Harbor Islands. The remains of an oil shed are the only fragments from the time the island housed the Lovells Island Range Lights. These lights served as beacons for marine vessels traveling in the South Channel to reach Boston.

$11,500 dollars for the lighthouse, and the Boston Marine Society picked the location on the north end of the island. First lit in 1819, the light, then named “Inner Harbor Light,” stood at 20 feet tall.

The Point Reyes Headlands jut 10 miles out to sea and pose a threat to ships traveling between San Francisco Bay and locations to the north. The historic Point Reyes Lighthouse was built in 1870 to warn mariners of this navigational hazard and served for 105 years. The Point Reyes Lighthouse was retired from service in 1975 shortly thereafter transferred from the the U.S. Coast Guard to the National Park Service for preservation.

Named for the famous red and white lighthouse that stands on the bluff above, Nauset Light Beach in Eastham features a sandy beach that changes with the seasons.

Visit Nauset Light and learn more about lighthouse history!

Stop by the Three Sisters Lighthouses to learn more about lighthouse history on Cape Cod!

Learn more about the history of lighthouses and other navigational aids in the United States.

The first lighthouse in the Apostle Islands was built on Michigan Island in 1856, providing a beacon for sailors navigating the water and weather of Lake Superior. In 1929, a taller tower was installed to extend visibility of the Michigan Island light. The periods of use, disuse, and preservation of the Michigan Island Light Station are reflected in the landscape.

Lighthouses in National Parks. Discover and learn more about the lighthouses found in our national parks.

Like all historic structures, lighthouses require maintenance, care, and the attention of responsible, enthusiastic stewards.

The typical image of a lighthouse keeper is a solitary, grizzled white man in a rain slicker, but the reality was more complex.

The Fresnel lens (pronounced "Frey Nel"), as it came to be known, represented a monumental step forward in lighthouse lighting technology, and therefore also in maritime safety.

In the summer of 1999, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved 2,900 feet from the spot where it had stood since 1870. Because of shoreline erosion in this dynamic coastal environment, the lighthouse was now dangerously close to the ocean's edge. The remarkable undertaking including efforts to protect the structures, maintain the coastal setting of the original site, and preserve the original orientation to the shoreline and spatial arrangements of historic structures.

In celebration of the 90th anniversary, on 11-10-23, an exhibition opened at The Athenaeum of Philadelphia titled “Blazing the Trail: The Historic American Buildings Survey turns 90.” The exhibition highlights the past decade of HABS projects and the use of emerging technologies that place HABS on the forefront of architectural documentation practice. Each project represents different challenges and applications to best suit the resource. Here is a summary of the project.

Lighthouses of the Great Lakes region are historic navigational aids that have guided sailors under dark skies, around dangerous coast lines, and through treacherous weather. The light station landscapes are an important cultural resource, representing developments in navigational technology and patterns of commerce and settlement. The landscape features suggest the lives of the keepers and their families who operated these lights, guiding ships through dark waters.

Alcatraz Island is a 22.5 acre historic district located in California's San Francisco Bay, and holds a commanding position at the entrance of the bay. Fog and high winds pour in from the Pacific Ocean to buffet the island's 50-foot-tall cliffs. The island contains the Pacific Coast's oldest lighthouse, military fortifications, and, most famously, a federal prison.