Duxbury Pier Light facts for kids
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| Duxbury Pier lighthouse in Plymouth Harbor | |
 Duxbury Pier Light
Location in Massachusetts
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| Location | Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 41°59′14.73″N 70°38′54.77″W / 41.9874250°N 70.6485472°W |
| Year first lit | 1871 |
| Automated | 1964 |
| Foundation | Caisson |
| Construction | Cast iron |
| Tower shape | conical "Spark Plug" |
| Markings / pattern | white with brown base |
| Focal height | |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Range | 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing red twice every 5s, Higher intensity beam seaward. HORN: 1 blast ev 15s (2s bl). |
Duxbury Pier Lighthouse, also known as Duxbury Light, is a famous lighthouse in Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. People often call it the "Bug Light" because of its unique shape. It looks a bit like a coffee pot!
This lighthouse was built in 1871. Its main job was to warn ships about a dangerous sandbar near Saquish Head. Duxbury Pier Light was the very first "sparkplug lighthouse" ever built in the United States. This means it was built on a strong, hollow base that looks like a spark plug. In 2014, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which helps protect important historical sites.
What Does Duxbury Pier Lighthouse Look Like?
The Duxbury Pier Lighthouse stands about 47 feet (14 m) tall. Inside, it has three levels that used to be living spaces for the lighthouse keepers. There was also a special room for watching the sea.
The light first shone on September 15, 1871. It used a special lens called a Fresnel lens, which made the light very bright and focused. To keep the lighthouse safe from strong waves, many tons of stones were placed around its base in 1886. A large tank to hold water was added in 1900.
In 1964, the lighthouse became "automated." This means machines took over the work, and the human lighthouse keepers no longer lived there. A new, modern light replaced the old Fresnel lens. For a while, the lighthouse was damaged by vandals and even became a home for seabirds. But it was fixed up in the 1980s and again in 2001. Today, it still helps guide ships safely through the harbor.
The History of "The Bug"
The Duxbury Pier Light has seen a lot of history. It even survived a huge hurricane in 1944! During that storm, waves as tall as 30-foot (9.1 m) crashed against the lighthouse. The storm damaged some parts, like the fog bell and the keepers' boat.
In 1983, the Coast Guard thought about replacing the old lighthouse with a new, simpler fiberglass tower. They estimated it would cost a lot to repair the old one. But local people loved "The Bug" and wanted to save it! They formed a group called "Project Bug Light."
Project Bug Light worked hard to save the lighthouse. The Coast Guard helped by cleaning and painting the lower part of the structure. Project Bug Light raised money from local businesses and by selling T-shirts and bumper stickers. They even held fashion shows and raffles! With the money they raised, they fixed the upper parts of the lighthouse and the inside. They rebuilt the roof and the walkway around the light.
At the same time, the lighthouse was updated to use solar power. This meant it could get energy from the sun. Even the fog horn started using solar power.
After a few years, the lighthouse was damaged again by vandals. The inside became very worn out. In 1993, the Coast Guard again considered replacing the lighthouse. But another local sailor, Dr. Don Muirhead, started a new effort to save it. The Coast Guard fixed up the lighthouse again in 1996.
Today, volunteers from Project Bug Light still help take care of the lighthouse. They have raised a lot of money to keep "The Bug" in good shape. As one volunteer said, "It's an ugly old historical thing, but we're glad it's been saved."
