The Lighthouses of Massachusetts

This rear range light is right next to the street that borders the coast.

Take highway 1 to Newburyport MA, then Merrimack Street south to Water Street. ARLHS # USA-545

From the junction of Highways 127 and 128 east of Gloucester, go north on Highway 127 for 3.1 miles. Turn left onto Leonard Street and then right onto Elizabeth Road (Norwood Heights) after 0.3 miles. Follow this road, crossing Ocean Avenue, until it tees. Turn right, and then make a quick left onto Wigwam Road. At the end of Wigwam Road turn right onto Lighthouse Road. (J 0268) ARLHS # USA-015

Photo courtesy Thom Perry [Flickr]

The closest point on land from which to view the lighthouse is at Gap Head, however Gap Head is private and a hill on the island blocks a view of the lighthouse from this area. We took a tour with Cape Ann Cruises, which provided a fair view of the lighthouse. ^cruises (J 0274) ARLHS # USA-815

Photo courtesy Alexander Trabas [ListOfLights]

From the junction of Highways 127 and 128 in downtown Gloucester, go east on East Main Street for just over a mile, where the road will become Eastern Point Road. Continue on Eastern Point Road 0.3 miles to Eastern Point Boulevard. Follow Eastern Point Boulevard 1.6 miles to its end at a parking area near the lighthouse (J 0280) ARLHS # USA-263

Photo courtesy pats7288 [Webshots]

Checking out potential locations for the Stephen/Tia wedding, we came across this light.

Take 128 north from Boston, then 133 east to the T. The light is dead ahead on the island. (J 0284) ARLHS # USA-839

From Highway 127 in Beverly, turn towards the harbor on East Corning Street. After 0.3 miles, East Corning Street ends. From this point, take Bayview Avenue which ends at the lighthouse. At low tide, it is possible to walk along the shoreline from Lynch Park to get a view of the front of the lighthouse. Lynch park is west of the lighthouse and is reached by taking a right on Neptune Street where East Corning Street ends (J 0290) ARLHS # USA-389

(We did an end-run for this photo.)

From Highway 1A in Salem, 0.7 miles south of the bridge over the Porter River, turn east on Webb Street. When Webb Street ends, turn left onto Derby Street/Fort Avenue and continue to Winter Island Road. Turn right onto Winter Island Road and follow it to its end. After paying $20 to enter the park, stay left and the road will lead to the lighthouse. (J 0294) ARLHS # USA-901

At then end of Highway 129 in Marblehead, turn east onto Ocean Avenue and follow it across the causeway onto Marblehead Neck. Follow Ocean Avenue until it ends at Follett Street. Turn left onto Follett Street, which leads to the lighthouse. (J 0304) ARLHS # USA-473

Photo courtesy Luis LeBron [Flickr]

It's a long way from the fort on Georges Island to this light, so I'm not using my photo here. (J 0310) ARLHS # USA-341

Photo courtesy Debbie Burleigh [Flickr]

The light is on Little Brewster Island and officially marks the entrance to Boston Harbor. Built in 1824, this is the oldest lighthouse in New England. This picture was taken from the Fort on Georges Island. Careful selection of Harbor Tour might get you closer, but as for now, this is the best we can do (J 0314) ARLHS # USA-073

This picture was taken from the deck of a Boston Islands "T" boat. It's still well in the distance, so you are seeing the result of a long lens to get here. (J 0337) ARLHS # USA-449

From Route 3 east of Scituate, take First Parish Road east for 0.9 miles to Beaver Dam Road, and then continue east on Beaver Dam Road for 1.3 miles to Jericho Road. Turn left on Jericho Road and follow it around the harbor to Lighthouse Road. (J 0363) ARLHS # USA-742

One can take a tour with Plymouth Harbor Cruises aboard the Pilgrim Belle, which leaves from Plymouth Harbor. ^cruises (J 0368) ARLHS # USA-251

Photo courtesy pwhsu48 [Webshots]

You can view this lighthouse from Provincetown, but the view is a distant, unsatisfactory one. To visit the light, you can make the strenuous, 2.7 mile walk to the lighthouse, or you can take a shuttle or paddle a kayak to Long Point.

Flyers Boat Yard rents kayaks and also provides shuttle service to Long Point. ^flyers (J 0382) ARLHS # USA-450

Photo courtesy pwhsu48 [Webshots]

This lighthouse can be reached by hiking west 1.7 miles through the sand from Race Point Beach. To reach Race Point Beach, take the Race Point exit from Route 6 near Provincetown, and follow Race Point Road until it ends at the beach. Art's Dune Tours offers trips out to the lighthouse.

Art's Dune Tours can be reached at (800) 894-1951. ^tour (J 0386) ARLHS # USA-680

Photo courtesy Pats7288 [Webshots]

Take Route 6 north on the cape to Eastham and Bracket Road, the third traffic signal from the Eastham/Orleans rotary. Turn right onto Bracket Road and continue until it ends at Nauset Road. Turn left onto Nauset Road and then take the first right onto Cable Road. At the end of Cable Road, turn left onto Ocean View Drive (J 0392) ARLHS # USA-529

Photo courtesy Donna McCraw [Flickr]

Take Route 28 to the roundabout in Chatham, and from there follow Main Street through Chatham. Main Street will make a sharp right turn when it intersects with Shore Road. From this point, go south on Main Street 0.4 miles to the lighthouse. (J 0394) ARLHS # USA-158

Photo courtesy Donna McCraw [Flickr]

From Highway 28 in West Chatham, turn south on Barn Hill Road. After 0.4 miles, bear right onto Hardings Beach Road. Continue for 0.8 miles to the parking area at the beach. The lighthouse can be reached from the beach by following a sandy road east along the shore for just over a mile. The lighthouse can also be seen from a distance across Stage Harbor by proceeding south from the rotary in Chatham on Stage Harbor Road. Stage Harbor Road will become Champlain Road after about 1.2 miles. Continue on Champlain Road for about 0.6 miles to Sears Road. Follow Sears Road to the boat launching area ARLHS # USA-806

Photo courtesy Pats7288 [Webshots]

The lighthouse can be seen distantly from the beach near the Hyannis Lighthouse, but the best views come from the water. One can go blue water sailing aboard the Cat Boat from Hyannis, which affords closer, but still distant views of the light. ^* ARLHS # USA-622

Photo courtesy whitecloud [Webshots]

As you may note from the next 3 listings, there are 3 sets of lights at Nantucket harbor. This is the range light set. Even more interesting, we saw these lights as part of a Rhode Island tour, but Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are part of Massachusetts. (J 0416 and 0416.1) ARLHS # USA-078

This is the currently active (plus the range lights shown above) light at the mouth of Nantucket harbor. It was built in 1902 replacing the light above. It's small (note how big the 6' something door looks compared to the rest of the tower), but is picturesque enough that others are copying the model ARLHS # USA-1095

This light was in danger of erosion, they figure a few more years (or one big storm) and it will be gone. It was moved in 2007. This photo (and the coordinates) is the old location.

We got to walk up in the tower (60 steps, plus 9 more on a ladder) and the view is outstanding. (J 0406) ARLHS # USA-735

This light is just east of Wood's Hole on Cape Cod. We took the picture from our cruise, but looking at the people walking along the shore, it is also possible to get here on the ground.

Take Route 28 to Falmouth and then turn south on Shore Street. When Shore Street ends, turn right on Surf Drive, which will become Beach Road after 0.4 miles. Follow Beach Road for 1.4 miles to Oyster Pond Road. After one mile on Oyster Pond Road, turn left on Nobska Road, which will take you to the lighthouse. ARLHS # USA-550

This "light" is actually on a set of rocks which keep the swimming area less turbulent, and "teach" boaters not to come through at the same time. (J 0444)

Vineyard haven is a long and narrow harbor. The West end is marked with this light. It still has 2 keepers cottages in place (only one is shown here) and is also the source of the fog horn signal for the entire harbor. (J 0450) ARLHS # USA-877

Yes, we did see a bunch of lights this day of the tour. Readers will note a resemblance to the one above. Differences are very minute, until you step inside. This one does not have a spiral staircase, it just has a ladder. And it's not brick lined, it actually was floated across the bay from near Wood's Hole. ARLHS # USA-265

This light is on the Atlantic ocean, and right below it is a very striated cliff with several layers of sand. So the "gay" is not intended to discuss sexual orientation, but "pleasureful".

From Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs, follow signs west to Chilmark. At Chilmark, continue west on South Road, which will end in a loop at the lighthouse. (J 0476) ARLHS # USA-319

This light is on a private island. About the only way to get here is to charter a boat or be a relative of the Forbes family. We had some extra time on this leg of the cruise, so Jeremy persuaded the captain to take a less direct route and we got this picture ARLHS # USA-835

Located on a reef on the east side of the main Buzzard's Bay channel, off West Falmouth. (J 0510) ARLHS # USA-179

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [ListOfLights]

From Route 6 northeast of Marion, turn south on Point Road. Follow Point Road to the Kitanset Golf Club at its end from where views of the light are possible. ARLHS # USA-057

Photo courtesy Alex Trabas [ListOfLights]

Good views are possible from the Martha's Vineyard and Cuttyhunk ferries that depart from New Bedford. For a decent view from land, take Route 18 south in New Bedford, which will become Water Street. From Water Street, turn left onto Cove Street and then right onto East Rodney French Boulevard. (J 0498) ARLHS # USA-099

Photo courtesy kksgram [Webshots]

The lighthouse is accessible at low tide from the hurricane dike. To reach the wall, take Route 18 south in New Bedford and turn left onto Potomska Street. Make a quick right onto Front Street, which ends at Gifford Street. Turn left onto Gifford, which will take you behind some industrial buildings, where you can park and access the hurricane dike ^{Cuttyhunk Ferry} (J 0501) ARLHS # USA-578

Photo courtesy lightlady35 [Webshots]