First Lit: October 19, 1828; Rebuilt: 1890; Deactivated: 1940
at Position: N 41° 32.3', W 70° 55.3' Nautical Chart
Dumpling Rock, Dartmouth Harbor
Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Notes: (1) Dumpling Rock Light was built on a small isolated barren rock island in Darthmouth Harbor and marked the ledges off Round Hill Point for Whalers and shipping headed for New Bedford Harbor. This Lighthouse was a entrance aid to Buzzards Bay from the west side and Cuttyhunk Light was the entrance marker on the east side of Buzzards Bay.       In 1828, a Lighthouse with a Lantern on the roof of a two-story Cape Cod style Keeper’s house was built and First Lit on October 19, 1828 exhibiting a Fixed White Light 43-feet above sea level illuminated by ten oil lamps and reflectors visible to a range of 10 miles. U.S. Coast Guard Photograph of Dumpling Rock Light, 1828       Levi Smith, the first Light-keeper, used a semaphore system to signal the merchants of New Bedford when ships were approaching the harbor.  The raised signal allowed the merchants time to convey their merchandise to incoming trading ships.       In 1838, Light-keeper Smith was on the mainland when Lieutenant Edward W. Carpender, U.S. Navy, inspected the Lighthouse and discovered the Light was not attended reporting , “The reflectors appeared not to have been burnished for some time, and the lantern covered with smoke.”  In the Keeper’s defense, Levi Smith reported the silver was worn off the Lewis Patent Lamp reflectors in 1842.  Furthermore, the sea encroached the Light Station filling the fresh water cistern with salt water before a seawall was built around Dumpling Rock.       In 1842, I.W.P. Lewis, Civil Engineer to the U.S. Light-house Survey, inspected the Lighthouse and reported that storms have shaken the Lantern “nearly to pieces” and the Keeper’s House had cracked walls and leaky windows.  A new Lantern and deck was installed in 1851.       In 1890, a new square wooden Light Tower was built attached to the Keeper’s house exhibiting a Fixed White Light 48 feet above high water mark illuminated by a Fourth-order Fresnel lens visible to a range of 12 nautical miles.  A Fog Bell Tower was erected 100-feet south of light to produce a fog signal struck by machinery alternating a single and double blow with intervals of 30 seconds. U.S. Coast Guard Photograph of Dumpling Rock Light, 1890       To protect the Light Station from the sea, a 90-feet long bulkhead was built with timber bolted to Dumpling Rock and reinforced by the stones of the old dwelling.  On October 12, 1897, a Second-class Daboll trumpet Fog Signal was established and operated by a oil steam engine.       In 1898, a submarine cable from Nonquitt, Mass on the mainland provided telephone service to the Lighthouse and a breakwater was built to protect the boat landings in 1905.       During the Great Hurricane of September 21, 1938, devastating tidal wave surges flooded the first floor of the Keeper’s House breaking windows and large sections of the roof were wind-swept away.  Fortunately for Light-Keeper Octave Ponsart and Henry Fontineau and their families, a huge boulder crashed through the living room wall and anchored the remains of the dwelling to Dumpling Rock thereby saving their lives.       In 1940, the remains of the Lighthouse were removed and replaced by a skeleton tower - see Note 2. (2) The Lighthouse was severely damaged by the Great Hurricane of 1938 and was razed in 1940. Replaced by a SG on a Skeleton Tower Aid No. 16040/J0492 at Position: N 41° 32.3', W 70° 55.3' Characteristic: Day-mark: Height of focal plane: Current Use:    Fl G 6s [Flashing Green every 6 seconds] SG on a Skeleton Tower 52 feet   Range: 8 nautical miles Active aid to navigation, U.S. Coast Guard

Copyright ©2000 to 2003 by Debbie Dolphin.

Document Updated: Monday, December 22, 2003, 07:23:00pm Eastern Standard Time (-5GMT)