The 20 Oldest Lighthouses in Massachusetts

Ranked by the construction year of the structure standing today, for every lighthouse in Massachusetts that we could confirm is still standing. Boston Light leads, built 1783; number 20 is Fort Pickering Light, built 1871. Dates or measurements marked uncertain in the source are left out rather than guessed Each entry was checked against current sources (park services, historic registers, preservation societies), and anything demolished, replaced or uncertain is left out. Each entry links to its own page with coordinates, sources and image licences.

1. 

   1. Boston Light

   Built 1783 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

   Photo: MBTafan2011 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

2. 2. Old Scituate Light

   Built 1811 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

3. 3. Bird Island Light

   Built 1819 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

4. 

   4. Bakers Island Light

   Built 1820 · Essex County, Massachusetts · National Register

   Photo: US Coast Guard / Wikimedia Commons (public domain)

5. 

   5. Ned Point Light

   Built 1838 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

   Photo: Schlitzer90 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

6. 6. Plymouth Light

   Built 1843 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

7. 7. Hyannis Rear Range Light

   Built 1849 · Barnstable County, Massachusetts

8. 8. Monomoy Point Light

   Built 1849 · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · National Register

9. 

   9. Palmer Island Light

   Built 1849 · Bristol County, Massachusetts · National Register

   Photo: Schlitzer90 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

10. 

    10. West Dennis Light

    Built 1855 · Barnstable County, Massachusetts

    Photo: Larry D. Moore / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

11. 11. Gay Head Light

    Built 1856 · Dukes County, Massachusetts · National Register

12. 

    12. Highland Light

    Built 1857 · Barnstable County, Massachusetts · National Register

    Photo: Pentachlorphenol / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

13. 13. Sandy Neck Light

    Built 1857 · Barnstable County, Massachusetts

14. 14. Minot's Ledge Light

    Built 1860 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

15. 15. Cape Ann Light

    Built 1861 · Essex County, Massachusetts

16. 

    16. Thacher Island North Light

    Built 1861 · Essex County, Massachusetts

    Photo: Tim Pierce / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

17. 17. Clarks Point Light

    Built 1869 · Bristol County, Massachusetts

18. 18. Derby Wharf Light

    Built 1871 · Essex County, Massachusetts · National Register

19. 19. Duxbury Pier Light

    Built 1871 · Plymouth County, Massachusetts · National Register

20. 

    20. Fort Pickering Light

    Built 1871 · Essex County, Massachusetts

    Photo: D. Sharon Pruitt / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

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