Junior Lighthouse Keeper Program, Discovering Oregon's Lighthouses

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Chapter 2:
A Little Lighthouse History
Keeper Michael here again. Now that you know what a lighthouse is, I would like to take you on a tour of my lighthouse. Before we get started, let me share a little Lighthouse History with you.

When we talk about lighthouses in our country, we talk in terms of hundreds of years. But, when we consider the history of the world’s first lighthouses, we have to talk in terms of thousands of years.

Do you know what the first beacons were that guided ships? They were nothing more than fires (bonfires) burning on the ground on a bluff. Sometimes it was a lamp suspended on a tree limb, or a fire on top of a large tower.

The world’s first known lighthouse, the Pharos of Alexandria, was built in Egypt around 270 BC. The massive 450 foot marble structure took approximately 20 years to build. In those days it was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The large fire beacons could be seen 30 to 40 miles at sea. It was used for about 1600 years, until 1350 AD, when the lighthouse was destroyed by an earthquake or possibly invaders. No one knows for sure.

Our country’s first lighthouse (aid to navigation) wasn’t built until many years later. In 1716, the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island started guiding ships. The British upon departing Boston destroyed the original tower in 1776. The current lighthouse was rebuilt in 1783, and is still in operation.

By the time we became a nation in 1776, there were 12 lighthouses. Most of these were along the east coast.

In 1789, Congress decided the nation should be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of lighthouses. In its ninth official act, Congress placed the lighthouses in control of the government, with the creation of the Lighthouse Service.

With the increased pressure from the shipping companies regarding their concerns for safety, more lighthouses were built. By 1815, there were 84 lighthouses. Most of these were again along the east coast, and the Great Lakes. That’s right, even the Great Lakes. We always think about lighthouses along our coastlines.

Today there are over 600 existing lighthouses in the states. Many of these are still under the ownership of the US Coast Guard, the modern Lighthouse Service. But, more and more lighthouses are being taken over by federal and state agencies, and private organizations. In the past ten years many have been open to the public for viewing. In 1994, Oregon opened four lighthouses that had been closed to the public for many years.

I need to do some unexpected chores before our tour, so I will leave you with some more interesting lighthouse information, and a short activity.

History Activity

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