Few sights say "coast" like a lighthouse on a rocky shore. Since the first American lighthouse was built at Boston Harbor in 1716, lighthouses have guided ships safely along the country's coasts and inland waterways. Their shape and look vary with the region and the water they guard, but they remain among the most recognizable images of the maritime world — and, like any historic structure, they need upkeep, all the more so in the punishing conditions of sea and river.
Cape Charles lighthouse. Image from the National Park Service
Who looks after them
| Then | Now |
|---|---|
| the lighthouse keeper cared for the station | the U.S. Coast Guard owns most active lighthouses — or at least their optic |
| agencies such as the National Park Service may own them or manage them with the Coast Guard or private friends' groups |
Many lighthouses have been decommissioned. That opens many possible futures for them — but every one still needs care.
The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) of 2000 sets out how the government disposes of historic light stations that the agency responsible no longer needs.
- Free transfer: the stations can go, at no cost, to federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofits, educational agencies and community development organizations.
- Conditions: the new owner must meet the act's conditions and be able to afford the upkeep.
- Public access: the station must be open to the public, at reasonable times and on reasonable terms, for education, parks, recreation, culture or historic preservation.
Other help from the Park Service
- Tax credits: a lighthouse listed in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places may qualify for a state or federal historic rehabilitation tax credit.
- Grants: depending on conditions, some lighthouses may qualify for grant programs.
- National Maritime Heritage Program: keeps inventories of historic light stations, educational material and links to preservation standards, and — when funding allows — gives grants for preserving historic maritime properties.
Beyond the Park Service
- The U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office holds documents, photographs, publications, oral histories and artifacts on the U.S. Lighthouse Service and Life-Saving Service.
- The United States Lighthouse Society, a nonprofit, offers a large public library of resources.
- States and local governments can help — Michigan, which has more lighthouses than any other state, publishes information on its lights — as can State Historic Preservation Offices, especially in states with many lighthouses.
For details of any of these programs, contact the National Park Service's maritime heritage program.
Sources
Based on "Lighthouse Preservation," National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.nps.gov
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