Eldred Rock
Eldred Rock Lighthouse is located 55 miles north of Juneau Alaska. It opened in 1906 and is the oldest lighthouse built in Alaska. It was automated in 1973 and now provides weather and seismic data. The first photo is dated 1906 and shows the original three lighthouse keepers in uniform. The third photo is credited to Alex McCarthy of the Juneau Empire.
Fort Gratiot
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse is located in Port Huron MI. It was built in 1829 and is the oldest lighthouse still in service in the state. A fog whistle was installed in March 1871, which was fortuitous because in October 1871 thick smoke conditions existed due to the Port Huron Fire, the Peshtigo WI Fire, and the Great Chicago Fire, all of which started on the same day!! The first photo is dated 1900.
Mount Desert
Built in 1847, Mount Desert Lighthouse is located 18 miles off the coast of Maine on an island 600 yards long and 200 yards wide. It is considered one of the most remote places ever used for a lighthouse. In addition, the highest point is only 20 feet above sea level so flooding and total submersion are frequent events. Keepers had to be given eight days off every 21 days worked to recover from the isolation. It was automated in 1977 and is currently used as a whale research station. The first photo is undated.
Portland Head
Portland Head Lighthouse is also located in Maine, but in a far more hospitable setting. It sits at the entrance to Portland Harbor near Elizabeth City. It was commissioned by George Washington and completed in 1791, making it the oldest in Maine. It was automated in 1989. The first photo is dated 1886.
Montauk Point
Montauk Point Lighthouse is located on the eastern most point of Long Island NY. It was New York’s first lighthouse and now is the fourth oldest in the US. Construction was authorized by George Washington and it was finished in 1796. During much of its history it was a very isolated location, requiring a six-hour horseback ride to the nearest civilization. It was automated in 1987 and now operates as a museum. Originally the Lighthouse was 300 ft. from the ocean, but now is about 100 ft., necessitating a two-year, $31MM erosion protection project begun in 2021. The first photo is dated 1930.
Yaquina Bay
Built in 1871 in Newport OR, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse was quickly rendered obsolete in 1874 by the Yaquina Head Lighthouse just four miles away. Yaquina Bay had various uses until 1934 when the state of Oregon made a 32-acre recreation area of the site. The light was re-lit in 1996. Now owned by the Coast Guard and open for tours, Yaquina Bay is the last of the original wood lighthouses on Oregon. The first photo is dated 1890 and the third is dated 1905.
