Annisquam Harbor Light
Encyclopedia
Annisquam Harbor Light Station is a historic lighthouse
on Wigwam Point in the Annisquam
neighborhood of Gloucester, Massachusetts
.
In 1897, the current brick lighthouse was built on the same foundation as the previous two constructions. Some time after 1900, the covered walkway to the keeper's house was replaced by an uncovered wooden footbridge.
In 1931, a foghorn was installed, but until 1949, it was used only from October 15 to May 15 to spare summer residents the noise. The lighthouse was automatated in 1974. The fog signal was first removed by the Coast Guard, but after complaints by fishermen and local boaters, it was re-activated and eventually automated as well.
The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1987.
The original wooden keeper's house from 1801 is still used as a housing for United States Coast Guard
personnel who manage the site. In 2000, a major restoration of the tower was conducted by the Coast Guard.
In 2008, the building made an appearance, supposedly as a lighthouse in Maine
, in the film remake The Women
(starring Meg Ryan
).
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
on Wigwam Point in the Annisquam
Annisquam, Massachusetts
Annisquam is a small waterfront neighborhood located in the City of Gloucester located on the North Shore of Massachusetts.-History:The name "Annisquam" comes from an Algonquian term meaning "top of the rock, containing , "on top of", and , "rock". The first European settlement in Annisquam was...
neighborhood of Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Gloucester is a city on Cape Ann in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is part of Massachusetts' North Shore. The population was 28,789 at the 2010 U.S. Census...
.
History
The first light station, a 40-foot (12 m) wooden tower, was established in 1801. The building fell into disrepair and, in 1851, was replaced by an octagonal wooden tower of the same height. The original lighthouse keeper's house was repaired and, with alterations, has remained to this day. In 1869, a covered walkway was built between the house and the tower.In 1897, the current brick lighthouse was built on the same foundation as the previous two constructions. Some time after 1900, the covered walkway to the keeper's house was replaced by an uncovered wooden footbridge.
In 1931, a foghorn was installed, but until 1949, it was used only from October 15 to May 15 to spare summer residents the noise. The lighthouse was automatated in 1974. The fog signal was first removed by the Coast Guard, but after complaints by fishermen and local boaters, it was re-activated and eventually automated as well.
The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1987.
The original wooden keeper's house from 1801 is still used as a housing for United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
personnel who manage the site. In 2000, a major restoration of the tower was conducted by the Coast Guard.
In 2008, the building made an appearance, supposedly as a lighthouse in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, in the film remake The Women
The Women (2008 film)
The Women is a 2008 American comedy film written, produced and directed by Diane English. The screenplay is an updated version of the George Cukor-directed 1939 film of the same name based on a 1936 play by Clare Boothe Luce....
(starring Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan
Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra , professionally known as Meg Ryan, is an American actress and producer. Raised in Bethel, Connecticut, Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles, before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982...
).