Notes: Nobska Point Light was built to mark the entrance to Little Harbor and Great Harbor of Woods Hole as well as aiding navigation crossing Vineyard Sound between the Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard Island.

      Suckanesset (Indian name meaning “the place of the black shells” or “black clams”), settled in 1660, was renamed Falmouth in honor of the English explorer, Bartholomew Gosnold who sailed from Falmouth, England and set foot on Suckanesset in 1602.  Falmouth became a fishing and farming village that gradually expanded to include shipbuilding, coastal trading, saltworks, and some whaling ventures.

      Both wars of Independence effectively interrupted shipbuilding, commerce, and whaling voyages.  During the Revolutionary War, Falmouth’s coastal trading was suspended due to British ships prowling the coast and preying on American supply vessels as well as British raids.  During the War of 1812, the British Navy destroyed a fleet of 17 Falmouth vessels.

      Falmouth was a home port to a small but successful whaling fleet and shipbuilding industry during Falmouth’s Golden Age of Whaling from 1820 to 1865.  By 1828, a Lighthouse was needed to safely guide navigation entering the bustling harbors (Little Harbor and Great Harbor) of Woods Hole.  Both harbors were crowded with fishing schooners, whalers, merchant ships, and packet boats*.

      On July 7, 1828, the federal government purchased 4-acres and a typical Cape Cod style Lighthouse with a Tower and Lantern room extending above the roof was constructed.  The Lighthouse was First Lit on September 28, 1828 exhibiting a Fixed White Light illuminated by 10 Oil lamps and reflectors for “all who go down to the sea in ships.”

      In 1843, I.W.P. Lewis, Civil Engineer to the U.S. Light-house Survey, reported Nobska Light Station was “in good order and repair.” Only one of a few Lighthouses along the northeast coast to receive a good report from Lewis.  One of the many duties Lightkeepers performed was counting every vessel that passed the Light in order to measure the importance of the Lighthouse.  For example, in the month of November 1864, 833 vessels, including 555 schooners, sailed by Nobska Point indicating that both harbors of Woods Hole were thriving.

      In 1856, the original optic was refitted with a Fifth-order Fresnel Lens.  After the collapse of the whaling industry, Nobska Point Lighthouse became important in safely guiding large sailing schooners entering the Great Harbor of Woods Hole to unload their cargoes of sulphur from Italy, nitrate of soda from Chile, potash from Germany, and guano from the Pacific Coast of South America from 1863 to 1889.  Boston shipping merchants who were searching for cargo on the return voyage of their ships, established the Pacific Guano Works at Woods Hole to produce fertilizer from the cargoes unloaded at the docks of Great Harbor.

      In 1872, the railroad branch to Woods Hole was opened and the Woods Hole scientific center began developing due to a deep harbor with good dock facilities that are centrally located to the principal fishing grounds of New England.  The Light-House Board gave Spencer Baird, commissioner of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, permission to occupy some vacant buildings and the wharf at the buoy-station on the west bank of Little Harbor.  Again, the importance of Nobska Lighthouse expanded to include guiding marine research vessels en route to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center as well as the pleasure boats of the developing summer resort since 1872.

      Over the years, the stress of the heavy Lantern Room on the roof beams caused roof leaks. The entire structure was in a state of disrepair by 1875.  In 1876, the present 40-feet high Cylindrical Cast-iron brick-lined Tower was built exhibiting a Fixed White Light illuminated by a Fifth-order Fresnel Lens and one Oil Lamp.  The Day-mark of the new Lighthouse was painted a dark reddish-brown.  A separate Victorian Keeper’s house was also constructed.



      In 1888, the Lighthouse was refitted with a Fourth-order Fresnel Lens which has remained in place since than.  A covered walkway connecting the Keeper’s house to the Tower was built in 1899.  An assistant Keeper’s house was constructed in 1907 and both the Tower and Keeper Houses were painted white.

      In 1937, a radiobeacon was installed enabling mariners to determine their position by radio triangulation during poor visibility.  A Morse Code, letter “M,” signal was transmitted.  Triangulating signals from Nobska Point, Butlers Flat, and Cleveland Ledge Light stations on a chart gave a ship its position.  In 1948, a new 125-feet high radiobeacon tower was erected.  Since March 15 1999, modern GPS navigational systems have replaced the radiobeacon.

      Civilian Lightkeepers remained at Nobska Light until 1973 under Coast Guard administration.  In 1985, the Light was automated using a 1000-watt halogen lamp and the Coast Guard keepers were removed.  The Group Commander of the Coast Guard Station Woods Hole resides at the Keeper’s house and members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 11-2 have “adopted” the active Lighthouse.

*As early as 1826, packet boats, established in 1755, resumed transporting passengers, and delivering mail and news to Falmouth which became a major packet port between the Boston and New York coastal trade route.  Water Transportation was the easiest and fastest way to travel and communicate during the early 1800s due poor or non-existent roads.

(2) Directions from Bourne (after the Bourne Bridge):
      At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto MA-28 S. (Gen MacArthur Blvd), and follow Route 28 through Falmouth. At the intersection of Woods Hole Road and Main Street, stay Right onto Woods Hole Road for about 3-miles.  Turn Left onto Church Street (which may be difficult to see for first time... if you see the Ferry Slip at Little Harbor than you have past the street and need to turn around).  At the beach, Church Street becomes Nobska Road which leads to the Nobska Point Lighthouse.

      There is a small free parking area in front of the Light Station.  Occasionally, the Lighthouse has a Open-House with a Guided Tower Tour.  Since 1996, Payson A. Jones, USCG Auxiliary, has been the “Lighthouse Keeper” Tour Guide.  For additional information, browse the Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 11 Calendar of events, eMail jasiff@attbi.com, or call (508) 457-3219.

      A picturesque view of the Lighthouse can be seen from the Vineyard Sound either by private boat or Ferry.  The Steamship Authority Ferry from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven or Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard and the Ferry Schamonchi from New Bedford to Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard pass by Nobska Point Light.

(3) Obscured from 125° to 195° and the Red Sector from 263° to 289° warns mariners of the dangerous Hedge Fence and L’Hommedieu Shoals.  Lighted throughout 24 hours and Floodlighted from sunset to sunrise.

(4) 1828 Lighthouse Optics: 10 Oil Lamps with Reflectors; Fixed Light

(5) The Keeper’s House is the private residence of the Group Commander of the Coast Guard Station Woods Hole.