Notes:
(1) Wood End Light was built to mark the dangerous Wood End Bar and Shank Painter Bar near the entrance to Provincetown Harbor.

      Wood End was named for the area “compassed about to the very sea with oaks, pines, juniper, sassafras, and other sweet wood” as first described by the Pilgrims in 1620.

      In 1864, a Day-mark tower was erected to reduce the number of shipwrecks offshore from Wood End near the entrance of the busy harbor during Provincetown’s Golden Era.  On June 10, 1872, Congress appropriated $15,000 for a Lighthouse at Wood End for the safety of navigation en route to Provincetown Harbor.

      In 1872, a 39-feet high brown painted square pyramidal brick Tower exhibiting a Flashing Red Light every 15-seconds illuminated by a Fifth-order Fresnel lens, 45-feet above sea level with a visible range of 11 nautical miles, was First Lit on November 20th.  A 1-1/2 story wooden Keeper’s house was also constructed.  The Lighthouse is located at the elbow of the sandbar that protects Provinctown’s large deep safe harbor.


      In 1896, a oil house was built to store Mineral oil (Kerosene fuel) which replaced expensive Sperm oil at $2.43 per gallon.  A new wooden Keeper’s house and storage shed was also built.  New clockwork machinery for revolving the Fresnel optical apparatus was installed in 1900.

      In 1902, a pyramidal Bell tower was erected and a Fog Bell with striking mechanism was installed.  Currently, an automated Fog horn blasts every 30 seconds during foul weather.  In 1911, a stone breakwater was constructed across the end of the harbor to control the erosion caused by the waves.

      In 1961, the Coast Guard automated the Lighthouse and the government razed the Keeper’s house and storage shed.  The original optic was replaced by a modern optic.  In 1981, the Light was converted to solar powered optics.  Today, Wood End Lighthouse is an active aid to navigation en route to the busy port of Provincetown.

(2) Directions from the easy route to the adventurous route:

A. Leisurely view the Lighthouse from aboard the Ferry from Plymouth.


General Directions to Provincetown:
      After crossing the Sagamore Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal, Drive east on Route 6 to Provincetown.

B. View Wood End Light from Whale Watching Cruises leaving from Provincetown Harbor:


C. Several companies and organizations may schedule occasional Lighthouse cruises passing Wood End Lighthouse:


D. Spectacular views of scenic Provincetown and the three Lighthouses can be seen from the top of the Pilgrim Memorial Monument which is the tallest all-granite structure in the United States.  The Monument’s Tower is 252.6-feet high and 353-feet above sea level.  The Pilgrim Memorial Monument was dedicated on August 5 1910 to commemorate the first landing of the Pilgrims in the New World at Provincetown on November 11, 1620 and is annually lit on November 21.

      For Directions and additional information, call (508) 487-1310 or visit the Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum web site.

E. An arduous walk to the Lighthouse for adventurous visitors:

      From Rt 6, turn Left onto Commercial Street (just before Province Lands Road). At the end of Commercial Street, park at the breakwater.  Hike along the uneven 1/2-mile long Breakwater during low tide to Wood End.  The Lighthouse is another 0.75-mile walk over the sandbar to the right of the Breakwater.  The entire journey to both Wood End Light and Long Point Light is about a 4-hour round trip on foot.

      During the summer, a boat shuttle operated by the Flyer’s from Provincetown’s West End lands at Long Point. The Lighthouse grounds are accessible by hiking almost 2-miles from the landing.