The History of the Plum Island Lighthouse
Plum Island is a barrier island that shadows the Massachusetts’ shore for roughly nine miles between the mouth of the Merrimack River on the north and the mouth of the Ipswich River on the south. Fires were routinely set on the beach at the northern end of Plum Island to guide mariners into the Merrimack River until 1783, when the Marine Society of Newburyport erected two official day beacons and employed men to display lanterns on them at night.
Local merchants, concerned about the safety of vessels entering their busy harbor, had asked the General Court of Massachusetts to authorize the building of the lighthouses in order to aid mariners in negotiating the often dangerous channel at the mouth of the Merrimack.
The Massachusetts Assembly gave its approval on November 16, 1787 for the erection of two lighthouses, each with a fixed white light thirty-seven feet above sea level, on the north end of nine-mile long “Plumb Island,” provided the sum “did not exceed £300 lawful money.” When first lit on April 14, 1788, the lights became the thirteenth lighthouse built in America, and were likely America’s first set of range lights. The merchants of Newburyport paid for the construction cost, which came to £266.
A year after navigational aids fell under federal jurisdiction in 1789, President George Washington appointed Abner Lowell as keeper of the Plum Island Range Lights, and it may be that Lowell had been keeping the lights since their inception. Keeper Lowell was a kindly man known by many as “Uncle,” and was the first of three generations of Lowells to man the lights.
In addition to the range lights, a keeper’s dwelling was also built along with a signal house, where flags were raised to alert those on the mainland when a pilot was required or a ship was in distress. At night and during reduced visibility, an alarm gun provided by the Merrimack Humane Society was sounded to call for assistance.
In 1795, Abner received a salary increase from £66 to $266 (about £80) annually, because the light was rather isolated and the soil unfit for tilling.
Specifications called for two lights rather than a single tower because of the constantly changing conditions at the river mouth. The towers placed on moveable foundations could be aligned to guide vessels through the shifting sandbars surrounding the channel. Two lights remained the rule until the 1890’s when the channel was stabilized by the building of the jetties.
The twin lighthouses, the 11th on the North Atlantic coast and the 13th in America when they were build, were ceded to the federal government in 1790, and it was George Washington, himself, who appointed Abner Lowell as the first light tender, the first of three generations of Lowells to hold that post.
The lighthouse complex included a signal tower from which flags could be hoisted to alert those on the mainland when a pilot was needed or when a ship was in distress off Plum Island’s treacherous coastline. At night or in times of reduced visibility, an alarm gun provided by the Merrimack Humane Society was used to summon help.
The keeper’s life was often hazardous, and Lewis Lowell, the second light tender, died at his post. In an attempt to keep the light burning on a night of extreme cold, he had lighted a charcoal fire under the lantern to prevent the oil from congealing and was overcome by asphyxiation. His son Joseph Lowell assumed his duties and remained keeper until 1837, when Captain Phineas George was made keeper. Upon the retirement of Keeper George in 1858, it was noted that he “by his faithful watchings day and night, in the coldest winter blasts, for vessels in distress, and by his superhuman efforts to save life and property in the cold of over twenty winters’ storms, to which his location is subjected, has entirely lost the use of his right arm, and can no longer work.” His wife was described as being “broken in health” by over-exertion in assisting him and raising their eleven children. Frederick D. Carleton replaced Phineas George as keeper.
Congress approved $4,000 in 1838 for “rebuilding” the two lights, but it is likely that the two towers were simply altered and/or repaired as only $950.44 was spent.
Plum Island was the scene of many shipwrecks and the keeper was often actively involved in rescue operations and in providing shelter for survivors. Until 1806 when the toll road was completed and a hotel built at the Center, there were no other occupied dwellings at the northern end of the Plum Island. Not until the first Life Saving Station was build in 1874 was there another source of help for mariners in distress at this end of the island. As late as 1881 the Merrimack Humane Society provided Keeper Henry Hunt with a lifeboat and oars for rescue purposes.
Storms could be threatening to both keeper and the lighthouses. In 1806 the twin towers were both temporarily disabled when toppled by a “whirlwind” which left them on the ground facing opposite directions.
The twin lights were rebuilt in 1838 and were again placed on moveable foundations.
And a severe winter gale in 1839 nearly washed away one of the towers. In December 1839 alone, three storms destroyed more than 300 vessels and killed over 150 persons. The wreck of the Richmond Packet on December 22nd, in which the captain’s wife was swept away and drowned, drew considerable attention because the gale blew up so suddenly that the keeper—who had left the light only for a few hours—was unable to return, leaving the lights dark at the harbor’s entrance. Keeper Phineas George reported that it was nearly impossible to reach the Eastern light as the sea was “…flowing above the blockings.”
Newburyport was recognized as being of sufficient importance to merit lighthouse towers constructed out of more durable material than wood and to have more powerful lamps, however, the requisite periodic repositioning of the towers precluded this.
In 1842, the two towers were described by Inspector I.W.P. Lewis as “dilapidated, leaky, and out of position to the bar channel.” At that time, the wrought iron lanterns each held eight lamps with 12-inch reflectors. The keeper’s dwelling was also “leaky on all sides” and in need of repair.
Lewis proposed to Stephen Pleasanton, the Treasury auditor responsible for lighthouses, that instead of “the old system of marshalling two crazy old towers about and over the sand hills,” two parallel iron rails should be erected about 108 feet long, and positioned about 100 feet apart. The rails, each holding a lantern with three lamps with 14-inch reflectors, would allow the lights to easily be adjusted in response to the shifting sandbar. For the construction of this novel system, Lewis requested a modest $1,315.91.
Perhaps Pleasanton was influenced by Inspector Lewis’ open criticism of Pleasanton’s friend (and Inspector Lewis’ uncle) Winslow Lewis, whose shoddy building practices resulted in many poorly constructed lighthouses and keepers’ dwellings, as Pleasanton rejected the proposal, choosing instead to repair and refit the towers with new cast iron lanterns and to move them to better positions.
In 1855 a smaller tower, known as the Bug Light, was added to the complex. It was called a Bug Light, so-called because it was a smaller, strange-looking tower. On August 8th, 1856, the front range tower burned down after being struck by lightning and was not replaced. That same year the rear tower was equipped with a fifth-order Fresnel lens. In 1871, a new fourth-order Fresnel lens replaced the fifth-order Fresnel lens. The front light, likely the Bug Light, was described in 1879 as a square structure standing twenty feet high and exhibiting a fixed white light. The tower was situated three hundred feet from the rear tower and was movable.
Over time the sand dunes that formed the ocean side of the Basin continued to grow, leaving the remaining lighthouse farther inland than was desirable. In 1869 this tower and the Bug Light were relocated one third of a mile northeast across the Basin to what was then known as “New Point.”
In 1874 the lighthouse was moved again, this time a short distance southward to the present site. Here it served until 1898 when it was replaced by today’s structure, a 45ft wooden conical tower rising 50 ft. above sea level. It is believed that the lantern and lens were transferred from the older, octagonal tower. For many years this 4000 candle power Fourth Order Fresnel light, visible for twelve miles, has been a familiar beacon to mariners along our coast.
In 1898, the rear tower, an octagonal wooden tower, was replaced by the current 45-foot wooden conical tower rising fifty feet above sea level. Electricity came to Plum Island Lighthouse in 1927, replacing the kerosene that had been in use since 1877. For a number of years, keepers were assigned the additional duty of maintaining a set of range lights across the mouth of the river at Salisbury Beach after the front light on Plum Island was discontinued.
Over the years the light has been powered by a variety of oils, but in 1927 electricity replaced kerosene, which had been the fuel of choice since 1878. After the light became automated in 1951, there was no need for a keeper, and the keeper’s dwelling was subsequently used as the headquarters for the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. In 1981 the lens was fitted with a green plastic cover, and it is now a 15 second green light with a 2-second occlude. It remains under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard which took over the light from the Bureau of Lighthouses in 1939.
Friends of Plum Island Light was formed in 1995 to care for the lighthouse. This volunteer group, operating under a lease from the Coast Guard, maintained the lighthouse and occasionally opened it to the public. In 2003, ownership of the lighthouse was transferred from the Coast Guard to the City of Newburyport, which immediately granted a ten-year lease of the tower to the Friends of Plum Island Light. They can be reached at PO Box 381, Newburyport, MA 01950.
The Newburyport Harbor Light was designated a historical light in 1981.
Specifications:
Location: Northern tip of Plum Island, Ipswich Bay, entrance to Merrimack River
Nearest city: Newburyport
42 48 54 N
70 49 06 W
Accessibility: the lighthouse is sometimes open for open houses.
Station established: 1788; Present tower built: 1898; Automated: 1951
Construction materials: Wood
Tower height: 35 feet; Height of focal plane: 50 feet
Optic: Fourth-order Fresnel lens (1856), still in use.
Characteristic: Occulting green light; two eclipses every 15 seconds
Other buildings still standing: 1898 keeper’s house
Active Coast Guard aid to navigation; the lighthouse is owned by the City of Newburyport and is leased to the Friends of Plum Island Light.
The Keepers of the Lighthouse:
Keepers: Abner Lowell (1789-1815); Lewis Lowell (1815-1823); Joseph Lowell (1823-1825); Captain Chandler (1825-1833?); Phineas George (1833-1839, 1849-1857); T. S. Greenwood (circa 1840s); Abner Lowell (temporary, 1849); Franklin Carleton (1857-1861); Solomon Parks (1861-1864); John Putnam (1864-1866); Joseph Lowell (1866-1870); Henry Hunt (1870-1882); Phelix Doyle (1882-1889); Matthew Barrett (1889-1893); Edwin F. Hunt (1893-1896); Elliot C. Hadley (1896-1905); Arthur W. Woods (1905-1923); Captain Howard (1923-1924); George E. Kezer (1924-1933); Harry Dobbins USCG (c. 1939); Edgar Wallace USCG (c. 1945)
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Newburyport Range Lights
The Front and Rear Range Lights were built to guide ships entering the Merrimac River into Newburyport Harbor. By aligning the Inner 15-ft high Brown Conical Range Light to the 53-ft high Outer Square Brick Range Light, the safe channel into the Harbor was marked.
Initially, private Range Lights guided navigation into the Harbor since 1790.
In 1873, two Range Lights were built by the Federal Government in the same position as the private Lights to guide shipping from the mouth of the Merrimack River into Newburyport Harbor. Both Range Lights were First Lit on June 1, 1873. The front Range Light was a 14.5-feet high conical iron Tower located on Bayley’s new wharf and exhibiting a Fixed Red Light 25-feet above sea level. The rear Range Light was a 32-feet high pyramidal-base brick Tower located 350-feet behind the front Range Light and exhibiting a Fixed Green Light 47-feet above sea level. In addition to marking the safe channel, both Range Lights aided mariners in avoiding the dangerous Half Tide Rocks located near the waterfront of the harbor.
In 1950s, the iron lantern room of the Front Range Light was replaced by a 20-foot shingled wooden lantern. Later, the Tower was damaged by fire and the Tower was renovated with a traditional iron lantern room in 1990.
In 1961, both Range Lights were deactivated and the Front Range Light was relocated to the grounds of a Coast Guard Station in 1964. The Rear Range Light was sold to a
private party and the attached Keeper’s house is a private business. This was probably due to the unworkable size of the Rear Light. Sixth-order Fresnel Lens are generally used for inner Harbor Lights. Considering the size of the Lantern Room, a larger Fresnel Lens may not fit inside. The Front Tower is a White Conical Steel Tower with a Orange and White Lantern Room. The glass that housed the lantern is now exhibited at the Custom House
In 1964, the Front Range Light was moved from Bayley’s new wharf to the Coast Guard Merrimac River Station. The Lighthouse Preservation Society is restoring the Front Newburyport Range
The Rear Range Light was restored by private owner and developer, David Hall, and the refurbished Lantern Room is currently a Lighthouse Restaurant managed by the Lighthouse Preservation Society which can be contacted at 4 Middle Street, Newburyport, MA 01950, T: 800.727.BEAM.
The treacherous currents of the Merrimack River (Merrimack is the Algonquian Indian name for “rapid waters”) made the Range Lights extremely important for ships of all sizes. In addition, ship building was highly prized since the safe protected Harbor of Newburyport and the surrounding grounds were well suited to the building of ships with 12-feet draft at high water. Water navigation was important in early America since poor roads were few or non-existent. Ferries transported supplies to settlements along the Merrimack River
By 1764, Newburyport was a thriving shipbuilding and trading center. Shipyards built brigs, frigates, fishing schooners, sloops, and full rigged ships for both the American and European markets. During the Revolutionary war, Shipwrights built privateers used to capture British supply vessels and merchant ships. Newburyport Privateers captured hundreds of British vessels during the Revolution and the War of 1812.
After the Revolutionary war, shipbuilding declined with one-half of the shipyards idle in 1786. Newburyport, in turn, depended heavily on the fishing industry and world-wide Maritime trade that also included China. The first Revenue Cutter was commissioned in 1790 by the Federal Government
In 1844, the first Clipper Ship built by Naval Architect, Donald McKay was launched in Newburyport. These sleek and swift sailing ships were designed for speed and built for International Commerce and the expanding American economy.
The Range Lights have served faithfully over the years for the benefit of the merchants of Newburyport and has benefited the Federal Government which has relied on the customs generated by Newburyport’s worldwide trade. These in-town lighthouses have been special landmarks for the City and their careful restoration is ongoing.
Specifications:
Front Range Light
Established: June 1, 1873
Deactivated: 1961
Position: Lattitude N42° 48′ 01″ ;
Longitude W70° 51′ 55″
Nautical Chart; Newburyport Harbor, Merrimac River, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Characteristic: F R [Fixed Red]
Original Optics: Sixth-order Fresnel Lens (2)
Present optic: Removed
Elevation: 25-feet high Focal Plane
Range: 6? nautical miles visible reach at sea
Structure: 15-feet high Brown Conical Steel Tower
First Keeper: George W. Stickney, June 1, 1873 to October 7, 1886
Fog signal: none
Current Use: Tower on the grounds of the Coast Guard Merrimac River Station
Rear Range Light
Established: June 1, 1873
Deactivated: 1961
Position: Lattitude N42° 48′ 00″ ;
Longitude W70° 51′ 57″
Nautical Chart; Newburyport Harbor, 61-1/2 Water Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Characteristic: F G [Fixed Green]
Original Optics: Sixth-order Fresnel Lens
Present optic: Removed
Elevation: 58-feet high Focal Plane
Range: 6? nautical miles visible reach at sea
Structure:
(Daymark) 53-feet high Square Hourglass Brick Tower with Black Lantern
First Keeper: George W. Stickney, June 1, 1873 to October 7, 1886
Fog signal: none
Current Use: Privately owned
Lighthouse Restaurant