Bakers Island Light
| Bakers Island Light | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Place: | Bakers Island , Salem , Massachusetts , United States | |
| Location: | Massachusetts , United States | |
| Geographical location: | 42 ° 32 '8.5 " N , 70 ° 47' 14.7" W | |
| Fire carrier height : | 59 ft (18 m ) | |
| Fire height : | 111 ft (33.8 m ) | |
|
||
| Identifier : | Al.WR.20s | |
| Scope knows: | 16 nm (29.6 km ) | |
| Scope red: | 14 nm (25.9 km ) | |
| Construction time: | 1791/1798/1816/1820 | |
| Operating time: | til today | |
| International ordinal number: | J0288 | |
Bakers Island Light (also Baker's Island Light ) is a lighthouse on the Salem island of Bakers Island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States . The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 under the name Baker's Island Light Station and in 1987 it was included in the Multiple Property Submission (MPS) Lighthouses of Massachusetts MPS .
history
The approximately 22 hectare island is located 8 kilometers from Salem in the North Atlantic and has always been a popular destination for summer vacation . On May 25, 1791, the Salem Marine Society decided to set up a navigation aid there when approaching the commercial port of Salem. The majority of the total costs of 110 pounds (around 14,500 pounds today) came from donations , so that on July 28 of the same year a nearly 17.5 m high, red-painted and unlit tower could be built, which is clearly visible during the day was.
In 1796, however, three ships sank when approaching Salem, with 16 seamen losing their lives. This made it clear that an illuminated tower was required, so the Society turned to the United States Congress with a request to that effect. On April 8, 1796, the then US President George Washington approved funds amounting to 6,000 US dollars (now approx. 120,000 dollars) for the construction of a lighthouse on Bakers Island. An on-site inspection by Benjamin Lincoln revealed that there was a high risk of confusion due to the nearby lighthouses on Thacher Island, Cape Cod , Plymouth and Boston , so it was decided to build twin towers on Bakers Island.
The two new towers began their service on January 3, 1798. They were mounted on the roof of the lighthouse keeper's house and were about 12 m apart. The southern tower reached a fire height of almost 30 m above the water, the northern tower a height of almost 24 m. In 1816 the beacons were replaced by a single one, whereupon in February 1817 the spice freighter Union crashed into the rocky coast of the island during a snow storm . Many more accidents followed, and the reason the seafarers always cited was a mix-up with the Boston Light .
In 1820, two lighthouses, each 18 m and 12 m high, were built on the island for 9,000 US dollars (today approx. 202,000 dollars), which began their service in October of the same year and were nicknamed “Ma and Pa” and “Mr . and Mrs. ”received. In 1857 the towers were fitted with new Fresnel lenses and a new guard house was built. By the end of the 19th century, the station was supplemented by other buildings (including a storehouse for fuel).
In 1887 Nathan A. Morse acquired the island, with the exception of the lighthouse, and opened the "Winne-Egan" hotel with 75 rooms, where a stay to alleviate neurasthenia was advertised. Recreational activities included sailing, tennis, and fishing, and alcohol was strictly prohibited. The hotel attracted up to 1000 guests each summer. After it was destroyed by fire in 1906, the island became the common property of country house owners.
After the United States Lighthouse Board spent four years trying to replace the fog bell, in 1906 Congress approved a grant of $ 10,000 (approximately $ 280,000 today) to build a fog siren, which began operating on July 12, 1907 recorded and operated with a 20 hp generator. However, the very loud signal disturbed the inhabitants of the island, so that in the same year it was aimed at the sea with the help of a megaphone .
On June 30, 1926, the smaller of the two lighthouses was taken out of service, which, in contrast to 1816, happened without major concerns from the residents. At the same time, the larger tower was modernized. In 1943, the last civil lighthouse keeper retired and the post was taken over by Coast Guard crews . In 1959, the siren was replaced by an air-powered fog horn , which in July 1967 continuously generated a tone for 324 hours and 20 minutes at a time, setting a record.
The lighthouse, which was first converted to kerosene in 1878 and electrified in 1938, was fully automated in 1972. The dismantled 4th order Fresnel lens is on display today at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland . In 1993 the Coast Guard carried out initial repairs and three years later began a $ 250,000 (now approx. $ 410,000) restoration project. In 2000 the lighthouse was converted to solar power . In 1988 the Baker's Island Association received a license to use and maintain the two houses of the former lighthouse keepers. In 2005 ownership was transferred to the Essex National Heritage Commission following a recommendation from the Home Secretary .
On November 21, 1976, the lighthouse was entered on the National Register of Historic Places under number 76000289 .
technology
The 18 m high lighthouse generates an alternating white and red light flash every 20 seconds with a range of 16 nm (29.6 km ) (white) and 14 nm (25.9 km ) (red). The fog horn emits a 3 second tone every 30 seconds.
See also
literature
- Michael Flaherty: Lighthouse Information Form. (PDF) Massachusetts Historical Commission, 1976, accessed on October 31, 2016 (English, accessible via the "NR" button).
Web links
- Bakers Island Light in the Geographic Names Information System of the United States Geological Survey
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g h D'Entremont, Jeremy: Bakers Island Light history - New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide. In: www.newenglandlighthouses.net. 2016, accessed on October 31, 2016 .
- ^ National Register Information System . In: National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service . Retrieved November 2, 2013.
- ↑ Light List Volume I. (PDF) In: www.navcen.uscg.gov. Department of Homeland Security , United States Coast Guard , 2016, p. 37 , accessed October 31, 2016 .
