Marblehead Light (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Marblehead Light is situated on Marblehead Neck
in Essex County, Massachusetts
. The current tower is a skeletal structure that replaced the original 1835 brick and wood tower in 1895. It is the only tower of its type in New England, the next similar tower is to be found at Coney Island
, New York. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places
, on June 15, 1987 as number #87001479 under Lighthouses of Massachusetts Thematic Group. It is currently run by the United States Coast Guard
.
The United States Coast Guard Light List
description is "Square skeleton tower; brown to gallery; black above". The actual light is 130 feet (40 m) above Mean High Water
. Its fixed green light is visible for 7 nautical miles (13 km).
burning lamps inside an octagonal lantern.
In 1857, the old lamp system was replaced by a sixth order Fresnel lens and reflectors. Despite the upgrade and work on the tower and associated keepers house, the tower itself was in a poor condition and by 1893 a new light was requested. The new light was completed in 1895 at a cost of $8 786, the cost being much reduced by using a skeletal frame rather than rebuilding the old tower.
This new light consisted of 8 cast iron piles on concrete foundations. The light was a sixth order Fesnel lens with a kerosene lamp. It was first illuminated on 17 April 1896 as a fixed white light. Later in 1922 it was changed to fixed red and then in 1938 to fixed green. In 1960, the light was automated and a new 300mm optic was installed.
About 30 feet (10m) from the light are two bronze plaques located where the original light was, one listing the history of the light and the other listing keepers who looked after the light until it was taken over by the Coastguard Service:
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
in Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
. The current tower is a skeletal structure that replaced the original 1835 brick and wood tower in 1895. It is the only tower of its type in New England, the next similar tower is to be found at Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, New York. It was listed in 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...
, on June 15, 1987 as number #87001479 under Lighthouses of Massachusetts Thematic Group. It is currently run by the 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...
.
The United States Coast Guard Light List
Light List
The United States Coast Guard Light List is an American navigation publication in 7 volumes made available yearly by the U.S. Coast Guard which gives information on lighted navigation aids, unlighted buoys, radiobeacons, radio direction finder calibration stations, daybeacons, racons, and LORAN...
description is "Square skeleton tower; brown to gallery; black above". The actual light is 130 feet (40 m) above Mean High Water
Tide
Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon and the sun and the rotation of the Earth....
. Its fixed green light is visible for 7 nautical miles (13 km).
History
In August 1831, the townspeople of Marblehead requested that a lighthouse be built at the entrance to the harbour. Congress granted the wish and a 23 foot (7m) high tower was built in 1835 and commissioned on 10 October 1835. This tower had an array of ten whale oilWhale oil
Whale oil is the oil obtained from the blubber of various species of whales, particularly the three species of right whale and the bowhead whale prior to the modern era, as well as several other species of baleen whale...
burning lamps inside an octagonal lantern.
In 1857, the old lamp system was replaced by a sixth order Fresnel lens and reflectors. Despite the upgrade and work on the tower and associated keepers house, the tower itself was in a poor condition and by 1893 a new light was requested. The new light was completed in 1895 at a cost of $8 786, the cost being much reduced by using a skeletal frame rather than rebuilding the old tower.
This new light consisted of 8 cast iron piles on concrete foundations. The light was a sixth order Fesnel lens with a kerosene lamp. It was first illuminated on 17 April 1896 as a fixed white light. Later in 1922 it was changed to fixed red and then in 1938 to fixed green. In 1960, the light was automated and a new 300mm optic was installed.
About 30 feet (10m) from the light are two bronze plaques located where the original light was, one listing the history of the light and the other listing keepers who looked after the light until it was taken over by the Coastguard Service:
- 1835-1860 Ezekiel Darling
- 1860-1862 Jane C. Martin
- 1862-1872 John Goodwin
- 1872-1892 James S. Bailey
- 1892-1893 Albert M. Horte
- 1893-1928 Henry T. Drayton
- 1928-1930 Russell B. Eastman
- 1930-1938 Edwin C. Rogers
- 1938-1941 Harry S. Marden
- 1941-1947 - Light was controlled by the US Army
- 1947-1954 Joseph Barry