0205. USA - Boston Harbor Lighthouse (US New England Coastal LH Series-2013)

Boston Harbor Lighthouse stands over one of the oldest and most important harbors on the Eastern Seaboard, south side of Little Brewster Island.  The lighthouse is flanked by White clapboard keeper's house, a picturesque oil house and a fog signal building.  It is the second oldest U.S. lighthouse (after Sandy Hook Lighthouse, New Jersey).

When this lighthouse was lit on 14-Sep-1716, there were only 70 lighthouse(s) in existence in the whole World.  Initially, the lighthouse tower housed oil lamps; 16 lamps were in place in 1789.  In 1811, the oil lamps were replaced by Argand lamps mounted on a rotating case.  But, when the lighthouse tower was raised from 75 feet to 89 feet, it was fitted with a 12-sided 2nd order Fresnel lens.

In 1948, Boston Harbor lighthouse was electrified and the power for the light came from the wind turbine in Hull.  By 1989, every lighthouse in the U.S. had been automated except Boston Harbor lighthouse.  Perhaps fittingly, the first lighthouse on American shores was the last to get modernized in 1998.

The lighthouse is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark.  This lighthouse is the only light station still staffed by the Coast Guard.  The lighthouse is accessible only by boat.

USPS commemorated the Boston Harbor Lighthouse (State of Massachusetts) by the release of  a Forever stamp on 13-Jul-2013 in its US New England Coastal Lighthouse Stamp Series-2013 (6th Lighthouse Series).

Built in the year 1716, the Boston Harbor Lighthouse:

• Tower is ROUND rubblestone
• Tower is painted WHITE
• Lantern painted BLACK
• Height is 27 metres
• Colour scheme of LIGHT is WHITE
• Light character is a FLASH every 10 seconds