Edgartown Harbor Light facts for kids
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| Edgartown light at dawn, July 2006. | |
 Edgartown Harbor Light
Location in Massachusetts
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| Location | Off N. Water St., Edgartown, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 41°23′27.05″N 70°30′10.88″W / 41.3908472°N 70.5030222°W |
| Year first constructed | 1828 |
| Year first lit | 1939 (current structure) |
| Automated | 1939 |
| Foundation | Granite blocks |
| Construction | Cast iron |
| Tower shape | Conical |
| Markings / pattern | White with black lantern |
| Focal height | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Original lens | Fourth order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 9.8 inches (250 mm) |
| Range | 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing red every six seconds |
| Admiralty number | J0440 |
| ARLHS number | USA-265 |
| USCG number | 1-15420 |
The Edgartown Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Edgartown, Massachusetts. It helps ships find their way into Edgartown Harbor and Katama Bay. This lighthouse is one of five on Martha's Vineyard island.
The first lighthouse here was built in 1828. It was a two-story wooden building that also served as the keeper's home. In 1939, this old building was taken down. A new lighthouse, the cast-iron tower you see today, was put in its place. The original lighthouse stood on a small island built by people, about 400 meters from the shore. Now, a beach has formed around the stone path that connects the lighthouse to the mainland.
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History of the Edgartown Light
The Edgartown Harbor Light was the first lighthouse built at the entrance to Edgartown Harbor. In 1828, the government spent $5,500 to buy land and build the first light. A lighthouse was needed because many ships used the harbor during the whaling boom in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
The First Lighthouse (1828-1938)
The first Edgartown Light was a wooden house built on wooden stilts in shallow water. It was a short distance from the shore. For the first two years, the lighthouse keeper had to row a boat to reach it. In 1830, a wooden path was built to connect the lighthouse to the land. People called this path the "Bridge of Sighs." This name showed how islanders felt watching whaling ships leave for long trips, sometimes lasting five years.
The first lighthouse had a glass lantern room on its roof. This room held a steady white light that could be seen for about 14 miles. In 1850, money was approved to build a new stone path. In 1856, after a fire damaged the keeper's house, it was rebuilt. The light was also updated with a special Fresnel lens. Over the years, many repairs were made, including fixing rooms, adding smokestacks, and whitewashing the house. In the 1890s, new storage buildings and a fence were added.
The 1938 Hurricane and New Lighthouse
The first Edgartown Light was destroyed by a big storm called the 1938 New England hurricane. In 1939, the United States Coast Guard took down the damaged buildings. They installed a cast-iron tower from another lighthouse in Ipswich. This new tower was fitted with the same type of lens, made electric, and set up to run automatically. This meant a keeper was no longer needed there all the time.
Saving the Lighthouse
From 1939 to the early 1980s, the Coast Guard looked after the Edgartown Harbor Light. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, the Coast Guard faced money problems. Because of this, many lighthouses around the U.S. were set to be destroyed. They were expensive to keep up and were no longer as important for guiding ships. This was because new tools like satellite GPS helped ships navigate.
The Edgartown Harbor Light and two other lighthouses on Martha's Vineyard (Gay Head Light and East Chop Light) were marked for destruction. The Coast Guard planned to take them down and replace them with simple strobe lights.
How They Were Saved
These three lighthouses were saved thanks to a group called the Vineyard Environmental Research Institute (VERI). William Waterway Marks and John F. Bitzer, Jr., from VERI, spoke to Congress. VERI was a group started in 1984 to study environmental issues. They got help from Congressman Gerry Studds and Senator Ted Kennedy.
In 1985, the Coast Guard gave VERI a 35-year license to manage the three lighthouses. This was the first time in U.S. history that civilian groups were allowed to control active lighthouses. It was also the first time an island group managed a lighthouse on Martha's Vineyard.
VERI then raised money to restore the lighthouses. Many local people and famous figures helped. These included Fairleigh Dickinson, Jr., Vineyard Gazette co-owner Jody Reston, and actress Linda Kelsey. Famous speakers and performers also helped, like historian David McCullough, Senator Ted Kennedy, and singer Carly Simon. The money raised helped restore the Edgartown Harbor Light. In 1988, the lighthouse was painted white again. In 1990, its lens was replaced with a smaller red plastic one, and it started running on solar power.
- Before and after restoration by Vineyard Environmental Research, Inst.
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circa 1986
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blasting graffiti & rust - 1988
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brown primer - 1988
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new paint - 1988
From Bridge to Beach
From 1828 until 1938, people could visit the Edgartown lighthouse. At first, visitors had to row a boat to reach the lighthouse. In 1830, a wooden bridge was built for easier access. This bridge became known as the "Bridge of Sighs." In 1847, a stone path replaced the wooden bridge.
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A map from 1908 shows the Edgartown lighthouse surrounded by water, connected to land only by its wooden path. In the 1950s, a series of hurricanes destroyed a nearby sand barrier. A lot of this sand was carried by currents towards the lighthouse. Over time, this sand built up and created a beach around the Edgartown Harbor Light. This "Lighthouse Beach" still exists today.
The first Edgartown lighthouse (built 1828) had a glass lantern room on its roof. This room held a steady white light visible for about 14 miles. This building served as the lighthouse until 1938.
After the 1938 hurricane, the lighthouse was closed to the public due to damage. When the new cast-iron tower was installed in 1939, it was automated. This meant there was no longer a keeper living there to help visitors. So, the lighthouse remained closed to the public from 1938 to 1988.
In August 1991, Hurricane Bob damaged the stone path to the lighthouse. VERI helped raise money to fix the path. A new design for the path included a second pipe to help water flow better. The path was rebuilt in November 1991.
On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused flooding around the lighthouse. The photo shows the lighthouse surrounded by floodwaters. Normally, the lighthouse is surrounded by a large sandy beach. The hurricane's strong currents and waves damaged the public access path.
Preservation and Public Access
In 1985, the Edgartown Light was given to the Vineyard Environmental Research Institute (VERI) by the Coast Guard. In 1987, while VERI managed it, the lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The next year, 1988, after its restoration, VERI opened the lighthouse to the public for the first time in 55 years. Volunteers helped staff it on weekends and for special events.
VERI also started community events at the lighthouse, like July 4th fireworks and decorating the light with a large wreath. These traditions continue today. However, it was hard to reach the light room and balcony because there was only a steep iron ladder inside.
In 1994, the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society (now the Martha's Vineyard Museum) took over the lighthouse. Between 2005 and 2007, the Museum rebuilt the lighthouse's stone base as a memorial for children. They also added a spiral staircase, making it much easier to reach the light room and balcony. The Edgartown Harbor Light is now open to the public on weekends from late May to early October, and on weekdays in July and August.
In May 2011, the Coast Guard decided the lighthouse was no longer vital for guiding ships. The Town of Edgartown then started the process to buy it. In January 2014, the town officially took ownership of the lighthouse for a symbolic price of one dollar. The Martha's Vineyard Museum continues to manage the lighthouse, just like it does for the Gay Head Light and East Chop Light. They also provide volunteers to help visitors during the summer.
Edgartown Harbor Light Keepers
- Jeremiah Pease (1828-1841 and 1843–1849)
- Sylvanus Crocker (1841-1843 and 1849–1853)
- William Vinson (1853-1855)
- James Blankenship (1855-1861)
- William Vincent (1861-1866)
- Zolmond Steward (1866- 1870)
- Benjamin Huxford (1870-1919)
- Joseph H. Barrus (1919-1931)
- Henry L. Thomas (1931-1938)
- Fred Vidler (1938)
- William Waterway Marks (1985–1994)
- Fairleigh S. Dickinson, Jr. (1985-1994)
- Wade Johnson (2009–present)
