Annisquam Harbor Light
| Annisquam Harbor Light | ||
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| Place: | Gloucester , Massachusetts , United States | |
| Location: | Massachusetts , United States | |
| Geographical location: | 42 ° 39 '42.7 " N , 70 ° 41' 1.1" W | |
| Fire carrier height : | 45 ft (13.7 m ) | |
| Fire height : | 45 ft (13.7 m ) | |
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| Identifier : | Fl W 7.5s Red sector from 180 ° to 217 ° |
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| Scope knows: | 14 nm (25.9 km ) | |
| Scope red: | 11 nm (20.4 km ) | |
| Construction time: | 1801/1851/1897 | |
| Operating time: | til today | |
| International ordinal number: | J0268 | |
Annisquam Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Gloucester in the state of Massachusetts in the United States . The building was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as part of the Multiple Property Submission (MPS) Lighthouses of Massachusetts MPS under the designation Annisquam Harbor Light Station .
history
The lighthouse is named after the Annisquam district of Gloucester, which is largely on the east side of the Annisquam River . The initially independent town was founded in 1631 and developed into a center for shipbuilding and industrial fishing. The river running from the port area in Gloucester to Ipswich Bay served as an important refuge for ships traveling along the coast in bad weather.
In April 1800, the United States Congress approved $ 2,000 (approximately $ 42,000 today) to build a lighthouse at Wigwam Point, the most northwestern point in Annisquam, to mark the city's port. The federal government then bought 2.6 hectares of land from Gustavus Griffin for 140 US dollars (approx. 2,900 dollars today) and had a nearly 10 m high wooden tower built there, the fixed white light of which towered 12 m above the waterline. The annual salary of the first lighthouse keeper, George Day, was $ 200 (approximately $ 4,200 today).
In 1851 the lighthouse had to be replaced by a new building due to its dilapidation, which was designed as an octagonal wooden tower with a height of around 12 m. The lighthouse keeper's house has been extensively renovated and is still there today. In 1857 a 5th order Fresnel lens was installed, which was set in rotation by a clockwork . In 1867, a covered, around 33 m long access path was built between the house and the tower, in the place of which there is now a simple bridge.
Over time, some ships ran aground near the lighthouse, some of the remains of which can still be seen today. The current brick tower was built in 1897 and has the same foundation as its predecessor. In 1907 the tower and the caretaker's house were connected to the city water supply and telephone network, and in 1922 the 5th order Fresnel lens was replaced by a stronger 4th order lens that was already powered by electricity.
In 1931 a fog horn was installed and initially only operated in winter out of consideration for summer visitors; It was not until 1949 that it was also used in summer - but only during the day. In 1974 the lighthouse was fully automated, but the United States Coast Guard, as the owner, left the outbuildings to use for themselves.
On June 15, 1987, the lighthouse was registered on the National Register of Historic Places under number 87001526 .
In August 2000, extensive renovation work on the tower was completed, during which around 3,000 masonry bricks were replaced. The roof of the house was also renewed. The lighthouse is not open to the public.
technology
The 13.7 m high lighthouse generates a white flash of light every 7.5 seconds with a range of 14 nm (25.9 km ). In the sector from 180 ° to 217 °, a red light is emitted with a range of 11 nm (20.4 km ). The fog horn sends a sequence of two tones every 60 seconds (3s tone / 3s silence / 3s tone / 51s silence).
Others
In 1817 and 1818, sea serpent sightings in the waters around Gloucester dominated the front pages of the local press. On August 17, 1818, the Boston Commercial Gazette reported under the title "The Leviathan of the Deep" ( German about "The Giant of the Deep" ) about a creature described as probably harmless, which despite its length of around 40 m is easy to catch and its sales value is estimated at $ 100,000 (approximately $ 2,070,000 today). On September 5 of the same year, according to a report by the Newport Mercury, the animal was actually caught near the lighthouse, but it was only ten feet long and earned its captors significantly less than hoped.
In 2008 the lighthouse was the location of several scenes in the film The Women - Of big and small affairs .
See also
literature
- Leslie Fox: Lighthouse Information Form. (PDF) Massachusetts Historical Commission, September 1981, accessed on October 27, 2016 (English, accessible via the "NR" button).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g D'Entremont, Jeremy: Annisquam Light history - New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide. 2016, accessed on October 27, 2016 .
- ^ National Register Information System . In: National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service . Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ Light List Volume I. (PDF) Department of Homeland Security , United States Coast Guard , 2016, p. 113 , accessed on October 27, 2016 (English).
