The first lighthouse was Pharos of Alexandria in Egypt said to be built around 280 bc.  This tall 450 foot lighthouse was lit with a fire a the very top.  Pharos of Alexandria is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  The first lighthouse in the United States was in Boston, Ma in 1716.  The oldest lighthouse in the US in continuous service is Sandy Hook located in New Jersey and the tallest lighthouse in the US is Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.

Lighthouses come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.  Before modern electronic navigational aids, lighthouses were important so mariners knew there location and they also marked the entrances to harbors and channels and warned of hazards.  Traveling by day, the sailors only needed to see the lighthouse to know where they were located.  That is why lighthouses come in a variety of shapes and colors.  For navigation by night, the bright lights would have a different series of flashes and some lights could flash a white and/or red light.

Just imagine being a lighthouse keeper.  Now days most active lighthouse are unmanned and come under the control of the US Coast Guard but back before the automation of the lights, lighthouse keepers lived there and had to tend to the lights day and night in all kinds of weather.  The lights had to be checked around 2 or 3 times a night to make sure enough fuel to keep the light going and to wind the weights that kept the lights rotating.  

Today all lights are automated with the exception of the original one in Boston.  Luckily many towns and organizations have taken over lighthouses no longer needed.  Trying to preserve these lights and to teach people of their history is important.

The photos on these pages are of lighthouses we have visited.  We have visited several on the west coast but that was back before we had our digital camera and our photos are video.  When you view the photos, click on the thumbnails for a larger image.  I have tried to mark the location of the lighthouses on a map to the best of my memory.

We hope you enjoy your visit and please take a moment to sign our guestbook and drop us a line to let us know what you think.

Thank You

John & Toni Michael