Marblehead Light (Massachusetts) facts for kids
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| Marblehead Light | |
 Marblehead Light
Location in Massachusetts
Marblehead Light
Location in the United States
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| Location | Marblehead Neck, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 42°30′19.6″N 70°50′1.2″W / 42.505444°N 70.833667°W |
| Year first constructed | 1835 replaced 1895 |
| Year first lit | 1835 (original light) |
| Automated | 1960 |
| Foundation | Concrete |
| Construction | Cast Iron (current) |
| Tower shape | Square skeletal |
| Markings / pattern | Brown with black gallery and lantern |
| Height | 105 feet (32 m) |
| Focal height | 130 feet (40 m) |
| Original lens | Sixth-Order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 300 millimetres (12 in) |
| Range | 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fixed green |
The Marblehead Light is a cool lighthouse located in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It stands proudly on a spot called Marblehead Neck in Essex County, Massachusetts. The lighthouse you see today isn't the first one built here. The original was made of brick and wood in 1835. It was replaced in 1895 with a new tower that looks like a metal skeleton.
This type of lighthouse, with its open metal frame, is special. It's the only one like it in all of New England! The next closest one that looks similar is far away in Coney Island, New York. Because it's so important, the Marblehead Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1987.
The United States Coast Guard describes the lighthouse as a "Square skeleton tower; brown to gallery; black above." The light itself shines from 130 feet (about 40 meters) above the water. Its steady green light can be seen from up to 7 nautical miles (about 13 kilometers) away.
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Building the Marblehead Light
In August 1831, the people of Marblehead really wanted a lighthouse. They asked for one to be built at the entrance to their harbor. The government agreed, and a 23-foot (7-meter) tall tower was finished in 1835. It started working on October 10, 1835.
This first tower had ten lamps inside. These lamps burned whale oil to create light. They were placed inside an eight-sided lantern room.
Upgrades and Changes
In 1857, the old whale oil lamps were replaced. A new, more advanced Fresnel lens was installed. This lens made the light much brighter and more focused. Even with these upgrades, the tower itself was getting old and weak.
By 1893, a new lighthouse was needed. The new light was completed in 1895. It cost $8,786 to build. This cost was much lower because they used a metal skeletal frame. It was cheaper than rebuilding the old brick tower.
The Modern Lighthouse
The new lighthouse was built using eight cast iron poles. These poles were set into strong concrete foundations. The light inside was a sixth-order Fresnel lens, powered by a kerosene lamp. It first shone on April 17, 1896, as a steady white light.
Over the years, the light's color changed. In 1922, it became a steady red light. Then, in 1938, it changed again to the fixed green light we see today. In 1960, the lighthouse became automated. This means it no longer needed a keeper to operate it. A new 300 mm optic was installed at that time.
Lighthouse Keepers
About 30 feet (9 meters) from the lighthouse, you can find two bronze plaques. These plaques are located where the original light once stood. One plaque tells the history of the lighthouse. The other lists the brave keepers who looked after the light. They cared for it until the US Coast Guard took over.
Here are some of the keepers who worked at Marblehead Light:
- 1835–1860 Ezekiel Darling
- 1860–1862 Jane C. Martin
- 1862–1872 John Goodwin
- 1872–1892 James S. Bailey
- 1892–1893 Albert M. Horte
- 1893–1928 Henry T. Drayton
- 1928–1930 Russell B. Eastman
- 1930–1938 Edwin C. Rogers
- 1938–1941 Harry S. Marden
- 1941–1947 – The US Army controlled the light during these years.
- 1947–1954 Joseph Barry
