Marblehead Light

Latitude 42 Degrees 30' 20" N

Longitude 70 Degrees 50' 03" W

[Top Marker]

In July of 1789, Representative Elbridge Gerry, native of Marblehead, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Vice President of the United States under President James Madison, filed H.R. Bill 12 in Congress, officially launching the United States Lighthouse and Navigational Aid System. The Bill passed the House of Representatives on July 20, 1789, and passed the Senate on July 31, 1789. It was signed into law by President George Washington on August 7, 1789.

1831 Town petitioned Congress for lighthouse - $4500 approved

1833 Town bought land - 3.97 acres for $375 - property later transferred to federal government

1835 First light established on July 10 and lit on October 10 - white stone tower with fixed white light, including attached dwelling and covered walkway, 22'3" high and 57' above mean high water - Ezekiel Darling, veteran gunners mate on USS Constitution, first of eleven keepers or "wickies"

1883 Light obscured by newly built surrounding cottages - an adjacent 100' mast erected with lantern hoisted

1895 Second light and present lighttower erected - iron, pyramidal skeleton tower, 105' to focal plane and 130' above mean high water with 6th order Fresnel Lens and fixed white light - tower color remains the same today. "Metallic brown with black parapet and black lantern" - only one of its kind in New England - $8786

1896 Lighttower lit on April 17

1910 Light changed to fixed red

1922 Light electrified

1938 Light changed to green

1941 Light extinguished during World War II

1947 Land transferred by federal government to town, through a generous donation by Chandler Hovey

1959 Keepers quarters razed

1960 Light automated

[Bottom Marker]Marblehead Light Keepers

Ezekiel Darling 1835-1860

Jane C. Martin 1860-1862

John Goodwin 1862-1872