Cleveland East Ledge Light facts for kids
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 Cleveland East Ledge Light
Location in Cape Cod
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| Location | Falmouth, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 41°37′51.47″N 70°41′39.046″W / 41.6309639°N 70.69417944°W |
| Year first constructed | 1943 |
| Automated | 1978 |
| Foundation | Concrete and rock caisson |
| Construction | Reinforced concrete |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical on square dwelling |
| Markings / pattern | White tower red-brown caisson black lantern |
| Focal height | 74 feet (23 m) |
| Original lens | 4th order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 7.5 inches (190 mm) |
| Range | 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 10s |
| Fog signal | Horn, one every 15s |
| Racon | "C" (Charlie) |
| Admiralty number | J0502 |
| ARLHS number | USA-179 |
| USCG number | 1-16080 |
The Cleveland East Ledge Light is an old lighthouse in Falmouth, Massachusetts. It stands on a special island built by people. This island is in shallow water on a spot called Cleveland Ledge. People say the ledge was named after President Grover Cleveland. He owned a home nearby and liked to fish in the area.
This lighthouse helps guide ships. It marks the start of a deep path for boats going into the Cape Cod Canal. It's the first important marker for ships heading north through the canal. Because this area can get very foggy, the lighthouse has a special signal. It uses a racon (a radar beacon) that sends out the letter "C".
Contents
What the Lighthouse Looks Like
The lighthouse is built on a large, round concrete base. This base is called a caisson and is about 52 feet wide. Inside this base, you'll find the lighthouse's engine room.
Above the caisson are the first two floors of the lighthouse. These floors were used for living and working spaces. On top of these rooms sits the main part of the lighthouse. This is a round concrete tower that stands another 50 feet tall.
History of the Lighthouse
Why the Lighthouse Was Built
The Cleveland East Ledge Light was built between 1940 and 1943. Before this, the Cape Cod Canal was made deeper in the late 1930s. This change allowed much larger ships to use the canal. Because of these bigger ships, it became very important to mark Cleveland East Ledge. This spot is quite close to where ships travel when they approach the canal's southern entrance.
The state of Massachusetts started building the lighthouse. But in 1941, the project was given to the Coast Guard. There were some delays because of World War II. However, the Coast Guard finished building the lighthouse in 1943.
Automation and Recognition
In 1978, a special underwater cable was laid to the lighthouse. This cable allowed the lighthouse to become automated. This meant machines could run the light, and a crew was no longer needed. Before this, four Coast Guard members had lived and worked at the lighthouse since 1943.
After automation, the lighthouse was sealed up. It stayed empty for nearly 30 years. The Coast Guard did do some repairs in 1990, which lasted for three weeks. In 1987, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized as the Cleveland Ledge Light Station.
New Ownership
Without regular care, the lighthouse started to fall apart. In 2007, the government tried to sell it, but not many people were interested. So, in October 2010, the General Services Administration decided to put the lighthouse up for auction.
The bidding for the lighthouse lasted until December. A group called Cleveland Ledge Lighthouse, LLC, won the auction. They bought the lighthouse for $190,000. This group now owns the historic lighthouse.
