Notes:
(1) The First Lighthouse established in America and the only manned Lighthouse.
      The U.S. Coast Guard appoints active Light Keepers of Boston Light (Public Law: 101-225 passed December 12, 1989) in preserving the Historical importance of Lighthouses as Sentinels safely guiding mariners home.

      Boston was founded primarily for commercial purposes per the Massachusetts Bay Company’s trading charter.  By necessity, settlers relied upon the sea for a livelihood and became shipbuilders, merchants, seamen, and fishermen.  The first winter of 1630 demonstrated the dependence upon the sea when the settlers who ate fish survived the bitter cold.  One fifth of the settlers who did not eat fish died from disease and starvation.  By 1634, Shipyards were established all around Boston Bay.  Fishing first prevented starvation, created trade, and later built a wealthy seaport. Boston eventually dominated all commerce on the Atlantic coast exporting fish and furs in return for dry goods, linens, shoes, and woolens.

     Boston merchants were part owners of ships, shipyards, warehouses, and wharves.  Before the 1700s, Boston’s maritime commerce became international reaching beyond England to the eastern Mediterranean, Russia, the Indian Ocean, and China.

     Boston’s waterfront was busy all year round and a early beacon at Point Allerton, Hull was used to guide shipping into Boston harbor as early as 1673.  Point Allerton’s beacon, lanterns raised on poles, was only effective in warning ships close to the shore.

     In 1713, merchants led by John George petitioned the General Court for building a Lighted tower at the entrance to Boston Harbor.  A “Light House and Lanthorn” was approved on July 23, 1715 to prevent the loss of the lives and property of the merchants.  A stone Tower was erected on Beacon Island (Little Brewster Island) and on Sep 14, 1716, Boston Harbor Light was First Lit as the birthplace of American Lighthouses!  The first Lightkeeper and Harbor pilot, George Worthylake, climbed the Tower to light 50 tapers on a large candelabra.  Lighthouse maintenance was paid by a tonnage tax of 1 penny per ton on all vessels, except coasters.

     By 1750, the City of Boston became the Maritime Center of the Colonies and Boston Harbor Light was a significant aid guiding trading ships into Boston Harbor.  Boston Light marked a safe navigation route to Boston wharves for increasing the prosperity of the colonies.

     By 1800, Boston became the Gateway to our nation as the leading seaport in America.

Boston Light is another symbol of American Independence and Freedom:

Jun 1, 1774:	Boston Port Bill closed the port of Boston. The British seized Little Brewster Island and Boston Light. The Lighthouse was a beacon for British Blockading Ships.
July 1775:	The American Provincial Congress ordered the Lamp and Oil removed.
Jul 20, 1775:	American troops led by Major Vose burned the wooden elements of the lighthouse, and removed the oil and lantern.
Jul 31, 1775:	Battle of Boston Light - 300 American troops led by Major Tupper, appointed by General George Washington, defeated the British and destroyed all the repair work to the lighthouse.
03/ 16/ 1776:	The British troops left Boston but British Ships remained in the Harbor.
Jun 13, 1776:	American troops opened fire on the British Fleet from Long Island. In retaliation, the British destroyed Boston Light by leaving a time charge as they retreated. Boston Light was the last place in Boston Harbor to be occupied by a hostile force.
11/ 08/ 1780:	John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts, notified the Legislature that the entrance to Boston Harbor needed a Light.
1783:	Boston Light was rebuilt 75ft high, with 7.5ft thick walls at the base tapering to 2.5ft thick walls at the top with a Octagonal Lantern Room 15ft high and 8ft in diameter.
11/ 28/ 1783:	Thomas Knox, a harbor pilot, was appointed Light Keeper.
12/05/ 1783:	Boston Light was relit coinciding with the Birth of American Liberty (the Paris Peace Treaty ended the American War for Independence on Sep 3, 1783). Boston Light is one symbol of American Free Enterprise and International Trade.
Jun 10, 1790:	Boston Light was ceded to the new Federal Government.
11/07/ 1989:	H.AMDT. 307 to H.R. 2459: amendment requiring the Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the State of Massachusetts, to staff and maintain the Boston Light in a manner consistent with its historic character and designation as a national landmark.
11/18/ 1989:	S.AMDT. 1180, Sponsored by Sen Kennedy and Sen Kerry, To provide for the manned operation of the Boston Light Station, Little Brewster Island, in Massachusetts.
12/12/ 1989:	H.R. 2459 was passed as Public Law 101-225 and included H.AMDT. 307.

 
     For 170 years, many Immigrants first viewed Boston Light as America’s Light of Liberty.
Worthington C. Ford, Historian, emphasized the importance of Boston Light, “This light has been a beacon of safety, a welcome to the incoming vessel, a message of peace and brotherhood of nations, a guardian of that endless stream of commerce which normally tends to make the world one.” -Sep 16, 1916, celebration of Boston Light’s 200th anniversary

     On Nov 22, 1886, the Statue of Liberty became America’s Light of Liberty.

     On Oct 1st, 1894, a Lightship LV 54 (WAL 502) was placed On Station (N42° 19' 23''; W70° 45' 04") near the Nantasket Roads shipping channel and entrance to Boston Harbor to further aid shipping in locating the harbor in murky weather.  The Lightship exhibited 2 Fixed Red lights and both lanterns were illuminated by 8 oil lamps and reflectors. In 1915, the Lights were refitted with incandescent oil-vapor (IOV) lens lanterns.  The fog signal was a 12" steam chime whistle with a backup hand operated 1000 lb bell.  LV 54 served from 1894 to 1940 and may have been assigned to the Station from 1943 to 1946.

(2) Emergency light of reduced intensity when main light is extinguished.

(3) 1789 Optic: 16 Oil Lamps
     1811 Optic: revolving illuminating apparatus using 16 Argand Lamps and reflectors
     1859 Optic: Second-order Fresnel lens, rotating by a clockwork mechanism - 12-sided Lens

     1948 Optic: Converted to Electric Power - 100,000 candlepower light bulb in the center of a
     Second-order Fresnel lens and the rotating mechanism was powered by a electric motor.

     1962 Optic: 1,500 watt incandescent bulb in the center of a Second-order Fresnel lens.
     The Beam's power was rated at 2-million candlepower visible for 16 miles.

     Present Optic: GE 1000-watt 120V model Q1000T20BP quartz bulb in the center of Second-order rotating Fresnel lens.  The flashing effect is produced by the rotating bull’s eye (the circular spots on the Fresnel lens).  Boston Light is one of the few remaining lighthouses using an Active Rotating Fresnel lens.

(4) 1859: The 1783 Tower was raised another 14 feet to new height of 89 feet.  A 76-step Spiral Cast-iron Staircase and a 9-step ladder provides access to the Watchroom and a 8-step ladder provides access to the Lantern Room (constructed in 1844).

(5) 1719: Boston Light Station has the distinction of the First Fog Signal used in America!

     The “Ghost Walk,” six to seven miles east of Boston Light, is an area where Fog Signals cannot be heard.  In 1893, Massachusetts Institute of Technology experimented with different foghorns in a effort to penetrate the “Haunted” region.

(6) The last American Lighthouse to be automated.  A Coast Guard head Keeper and two assistant keepers continue to maintain the Lighthouse using a rotating schedule of two weeks at the Light and one week off.  Two keepers are always on duty cleaning the lens and Lantern windows, maintaining the rotating mechanism, shading the Fresnel lens at sunrise to protect the quartz bulb from sunlight refracting through the lens, and performing other Coast Guard duties.

     On August 11, 2003, Sally Snowman, a Coast Guard auxiliarist, was appointed as the 67th Coast Guard Civilian Head Lightkeeper of Boston Light Station.  Lightkeeper Snowman, the first woman to hold the post, officially reported to duty on September 15, 2003 dressed in her Colonial costume and rowed by members of the Hull Historical Museum in wooden longboat to the Lighthouse.

     Sally Snowman, a professional educator, has been a volunteer at Boston Light since 1994, Sally co-authored the book “Boston Light - A Historical Perspective” in 1999, and as Head Lightkeeper she will be responsible for overseeing the historic preservation of the Lighthouse, and the island; and supervising the tour volunteers.
List of Boston Light Keepers

(7) Directions from Boston:
      MA-3 South to Exit 12 towards RT-3A S/Neponset/Quincy, Merge onto Gallivan Blvd/MA-203 E., turn Slight Right onto Neponset Ave (MA-3A S), turn Slight Right onto Hancock Street (MA-3A S), turn Slight Left onto Merrymount Parkway (MA-3A) which becomes the Southern Artery (MA-3A), turn Left onto Washington Street (MA-3A N) and pass through 1 roundabout.  Washington Street (MA-3A N) becomes Bridge Street (MA-3A).  Turn Slight Right onto Lincoln Street (MA-3A S) and stay straight to go onto Broad Cove Road (MA-3A).  Broad Cove Road (MA-3A) becomes Otis Street (MA-3A) which becomes Summer Street (MA-3A).  Enter next roundabout and take 2nd exit to stay on Summer Street.  Stay straight to go onto Rockland Street.  Stay straight to go onto George Washington Blvd and turn Slight Right onto Nantasket Ave.  Drive to the seawall at Point Allerton where Point Allerton Ave intersect with Nantasket Ave.

      Boston Harbor Light can be seen from the seawall.  Please note the quiet residential community near the seawall is private property and narrow roads restrict street parking to owners.

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