Long Island Head Light facts for kids
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| Current Tower U.S. Coast Guard photo |
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 Long Island Head Light
Location in Massachusetts
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| Location | Long Island Boston Harbor Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 42°19′48.779″N 70°57′27.624″W / 42.33021639°N 70.95767333°W |
| Year first constructed | 1819 |
| Year first lit | 1901 (current structure) |
| Automated | 1985 |
| Deactivated | 1982-1985 |
| Foundation | Granite |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical |
| Markings / pattern | White with black lantern |
| Focal height | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Original lens | 3.5 order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | Acrylic |
| Range | 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 2.5s |
| Fog signal | none |
| Admiralty number | J0337 |
| ARLHS number | USA-449 |
| USCG number | 1-10800 |
The Long Island Head Light is a historic lighthouse located on Long Island. This island is found in Boston Harbor, near Boston, Massachusetts. The lighthouse you see today is a brick tower. It is actually the fourth lighthouse built on this spot.
Contents
History of the Long Island Head Light
First Lighthouse: 1819
The first lighthouse here was built in 1819. The Boston Marine Society helped make this happen. They had already built a daybeacon (a marker used during the day) on Nixes Mate years earlier. This first lighthouse was a stone tower, about 20-foot (6.1 m) tall. People called it the "Inner Harbor Light." It was the second lighthouse in Boston Harbor. The famous Boston Light was built 103 years before it.
Changes Over Time
The first stone tower eventually became old and damaged. So, a new one was built. This second lighthouse, built in 1843-44, was one of the first made from cast iron. It stood about thirty-four feet tall. In 1857, a new type of light was installed. It was a Fresnel lens, which made the light much brighter.
Over the next twenty years, this cast iron lighthouse was damaged by many storms. In 1881, it was replaced again. The third lighthouse was also made of cast iron, shaped like a cone. A new wooden house for the lighthouse keeper was also built.
The Current Lighthouse
Around the year 1900, a large military base called Fort Strong was expanded nearby. The noise and shaking from the fort's big guns could damage the lighthouse. So, the lighthouse had to be moved. The current brick tower was built in 1900-1901 in a safer spot. If you look at satellite maps, you can still see parts of the old fort near the lighthouse.
Modern Use and Recognition
Automation and Refurbishing
The United States Coast Guard stopped using the light in 1982. But they changed their minds in 1985. They installed a modern system that runs on solar power. This means the sun's energy powers the light! In the summer of 1998, the lighthouse got a big update and repair.
National Historic Place
The Long Island Head Light is an important part of history. On June 15, 1987, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a special historic site in the United States.
Images for kids
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The second tower, built 1843-44, an early cast iron tower
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The lantern from the north in 2009
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From the west, 2009; Nixes Mate daybeacon is visible to the left
