Lighthouses

Cape Cod’s First Lighthouse, Highland Light

By Mary Moran Highland Light (Cape Cod Light) Originally settled as “Pamet” in 1646, the town of Truro (name change in 1709) is the second most northerly town on Cape Cod. Adding a third title into the mix, Truro earned the nickname of “Dangerfield” early on, due to the frequent and devastating ship wrecks that occurred off…

Cape Cod’s Wood End Lighthouse

By Mary Moran Wood End Lighthouse From the 1820’s to the 1860’s, two great lighthouses were the only navigational aids warning ships passing by of the strong and dangerous waters surrounding the outer most town of Cape Cod; Provincetown. Although the two standing lighthouse’s (Race Point and Long Point) proved to be decent aids for navigating the waters,…

Wings Neck Lighthouse

By Mary Moran The Wing’s Neck Lighthouse, located in Pocasset, a small village in Bourne, Massachusetts, is a beautiful historic structure that dates back to 1849. Although the grounds are not open to the public, one can catch a glimpse of the lighthouse from the water. The lighthouse and keeper’s house is now a rental property where…

Cape Cod’s Race Point Lighthouse

By Mary Moram Race Point Light Jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, at the very tip of Cape Cod, lies the small but lively town of Provincetown. This town, located on famous Race Point Beach, is the home to the Race Point Lighthouse Station. Before the Cape Cod Canal was built, traveling vessels had to sail around…

Chatham Lighthouse

Cape Cod’s Chatham Lighthouse By Mary Moran Chatham, a town located in the southeastern area of Cape Cod, known as the lower Cape, is approximately an hour’s drive from The Palmer House Inn. The area around the lighthouse was once heavily populated with maritime traffic. However, the waters in Chatham harbor are extremely treacherous for…

Nobska Lighthouse

Nobska Lighthouse, the Bright Light of Woods Hole By Mary Moran Originally called “Nobsque” Light, the Nobska Lighthouse is located at the entrance to Woods Hole Harbor in beautiful Falmouth, Massachusetts. It was built as a navigation guide for vessels traveling through the busy Vineyard Sound on their way to and from the neighboring islands and…

Cape Cod’s Three Sisters & Nauset Lighthouses

In 1836, Eastham locals approached the Boston Marine Society about building a lighthouse in the middle of Nauset coastline to help to guide shipping vessels to navigate through the dangerous waters. Nauset was once the name given to the area of land that stretched fifteen miles between what is now Brewster and Truro, two lower Cape Cod towns.…

Cape Cod’s Sandy Neck Lighthouse

By Mary Moran Sandy Neck, a small cottage community in Barnstable, Massachusetts, is home to one of Cape Cod’s most famous lighthouses, the Sandy Neck Light. Located near the entrance to Barnstable Harbor on the north coast of the Cape. Sandy Neck stretches six miles long and is only a half mile wide. At its closest point…

Posts Categorized: Lighthouses