September 14: Boston Light Begins Operation (1716)
Prayer Idea
Pray for people who maintain lighthouses.
History Note
People have built lighthouses for thousands of years to help ships safely navigate near land. The Pharos of Alexandria, Egypt, built in 270 BC, was listed among the the Seven Wonders of the World. This lighthouse continued operating until it was destroyed by earthquakes in the 1300s.
The Colony of Massachusetts built the first permanent lighthouse in North America. Located on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, the Boston Light was completed in 1716. Originally lit by candles, the tower suffered damage from fires twice in its first few decades. During the American Revolution, British troops destroyed the lighthouse when they left Boston in 1776.
Massachusetts rebuilt the lighthouse in 1783. After the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, the federal government created an agency to build and manage lighthouses, beacons, buoys, and public piers along America’s coastlines. This agency became responsible for the Boston Light.
By 1800 the United States had 24 lighthouses. By 1900 it had about 1,000. Lighthouse keepers (and sometimes their families) lived and worked at each lighthouse to keep the lights going at night. During the 20th century, most lighthouses became automated. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard now monitor and maintain them.
The U.S. Senate passed a law in 1989 requiring that Boston Light be permanently manned. Dr. Sally Snowman became keeper in 2003, the first female keeper of Boston Light. She retired in 2023 at age 72. Though Dr. Snowman was the last official civilian lighthouse keeper in the United States, the Coast Guard still keeps the light shining.
This 1729 illustration by William Burgis shows a ship sailing past Boston Light. Image courtesy the Library of Congress.
Learn More
Watch this interview with Sally Snowman.
Find more resources at Homeschool History.
