List of lighthouses in the United States

This is a list of lighthouses in the United States. The United States has had approximately a thousand lights as well as light towers, range lights, and pier head lights. Michigan has the most lights of any state with over 150 past and present lights. Lighthouses that are in former U.S. territories are not listed here.

Boston Light, the oldest light station and second oldest lighthouse structure in the US

Charleston Light, the last manned lighthouse built on shore in the United States

Most of the lights in the United States have been built and maintained by the Coast Guard (since 1939) and its predecessors, the United States Lighthouse Service (1910–1939) and the United States Lighthouse Board (1852–1910). Before the Lighthouse Board was established, local collectors of customs were responsible for lighthouses under Stephen Pleasonton. As their importance to navigation has declined and as public interest in them has increased, the Coast Guard has been handing over ownership and in some cases responsibility for running them to other parties, the chief of them being the National Park Service under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.

• Note: Click on the state of your choice in the tables below to link you to lighthouses in that state.

New England

Boon Island Light in Maine is the tallest in New England.

State	Tallest[1] (H)	Shortest[1] (H)	Oldest[2] (currently standing)
Maine	133Boon Island Light 133 ft (41 m)	020Pond Island Light 20 ft (6.1 m)	1791Portland Head Light (1791)[3]
Massachusetts	124Cape Ann Light 124 ft (38 m)	DisputedA	1783Boston Light (1783)[4]
New Hampshire	058Isles of Shoals Light 58 ft (18 m)	048Portsmouth Harbor Light 48 ft (15 m)	1865Isles of Shoals Light (1859)[5]
Rhode Island	066Sakonnet Light 66 ft (20 m)	013Ida Lewis Rock Light 13 ft (4.0 m)	1831Poplar Point Light (1831)[6]
Connecticut	089New London Harbor Light 89 ft (27 m)[7]	025Mystic Seaport Light 25 ft (7.6 m)	1801New London Harbor Light (1801)[7]
Vermont	040Windmill Point Light 40 ft (12 m)	013Whipple Point Light 13 ft (4.0 m)	1846Juniper Island Light (1846)[2]

New Hampshire

The state of New Hampshire only has two lighthouses, both of which are located along the Atlantic coastline.^[8]

Name	Image	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Year deactivated	Current lens	Focal height
Isles of Shoals Light		Isles of Shoals	42°58′02″N 70°37′23″W	1859	1987	Active	VLB-44 LED unit	82 ft (25 m)
Portsmouth Harbor Light		New Castle	43°04′15″N 70°42′30″W	1878	1960	Active	Fourth order Fresnel	48 ft (15 m)

Vermont

^[9]

• Note: All entries here show the current tower's status; more details can be found in the lighthouse articles.

Name	Image	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Year deactivated	Current lens	Focal height
Burlington Breakwater North Light		Burlington	44°28′50″N 73°13′47.2″W	1857 (Original) 2003 (current)	2003 (Replica)	Active	Un­known	035 35 ft (11 m)
Burlington Breakwater South Light		Burlington	44°28′12.1″N 73°13′32.4″W	1857 (Original) 2003 (current)	2003 (Replica)	Active	Un­known	012 12 ft (3.7 m)
Colchester Reef Light		Shelburne	44.3753°N 73.2314°W / 44.3753; -73.2314	1871	Never	1933	None	035 35 ft (11 m)
Isle La Motte Light		Isle La Motte	44.9065°N 73.3435°W / 44.9065; -73.3435	1856 (Original) 1881 (current)	Un­known	Un­known	300mm	025 25 ft (7.6 m)
Juniper Island Light		South Burlington	44.4500°N 73.2763°W / 44.4500; -73.2763	1826 (Original) 1846 (current)	Never	1954	None	025 25 ft (7.6 m)
Maxfield Point Light	—	Orleans	Un­known	1879	Un­known	Un­known	None	025 40 ft (12 m)
Newport Wharf Light	—	Orleans	Un­known	1879	Un­known	Un­known	None	025 37 ft (11 m)
Windmill Point Light		Isle La Motte	44.9818°N 73.3418°W / 44.9818; -73.3418	1830 (Original) 1858 (current)	Un­known	Active (Inactive: 1931–2002)	300 mm	025 40 ft (12 m)
Whipple Point Light	—	Orleans	Un­known	1879	Un­known	1906	None	025 25 ft (7.6 m)

Mid-Atlantic

Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest still standing in the United States.

State	Tallest[1] (H)	Shortest[1] (H)	Oldest (currently standing)
New York	168Fire Island Lighthouse 168 ft (51 m)[10]B	015Cape Vincent Light 15 ft (4.6 m)	1797Montauk Point Light (1797)[11]
New Jersey	171Absecon Light 171 ft (52 m)[12]	036Ludlam's Beach Light 36 ft (11 m)	1764Sandy Hook Light (1764)[13]
Pennsylvania	068Presque Isle Light 68 ft (21 m)	030Turtle Rock Light 30 ft (9.1 m)	1857Erie Harbor Light (1857)
Delaware	120Liston Range Rear Light 120 ft (37 m)[14]	035Cherry Island Light 35 ft (11 m)	1858Fenwick Island Light (1858)[15]
Maryland	105Craighill Channel L.R.R. 105 ft (32 m)[16]	015Craighill Channel U.R.F. 15 ft (4.6 m)[17]	1825Pooles Island Light (1825)[18]

Midwest

Michigan has more lighthouses (still standing) than any other state with over 120 listed. Including historical lighthouses, there were 150 built.^[19] (Tawas Point Light shown here)

State	Tallest[1] (H)	Shortest[1] (H)	Oldest (currently standing)
Colorado	055Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse 26 ft (7.9 m)	—	1873Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse (circa 1963)
Illinois	113Grosse Point Light 113 ft (34 m)	035Waukegan Harbor Light 35 ft (11 m)	1873Grosse Point Light (1873)
Indiana	055Buffington Breakwater Light 55 ft (17 m)	030Gary Breakwater Light 30 ft (9.1 m)	1858Old Michigan City Light (1858)[20]
Michigan	124White Shoal Light 121 ft (37 m)	025Cheboygan Crib Light 25 ft (7.6 m)	1825Fort Gratiot Light (1825)[21]
Minnesota	070Duluth South Breakwater I.L. 70 ft (21 m)	034Grand Marais Light 34 ft (10 m)	1892Two Harbors Light (1892)[22]C
Nebraska	100Linoma Lighthouse 100 ft (30 m)	055Lake Minatare Light 55 ft (17 m)	—
Ohio	161Northwood Light 161 ft (49 m)[23]	020Port Clinton Light 20 ft (6.1 m)	1821Marblehead Light (1821)[24]
Wisconsin	111Rawley Point Light 111 ft (34 m)	021Baileys Harbor Front RL 21 ft (6.4 m)[25]	1853Baileys Harbor Light (1853)D

Colorado

The state of Colorado has only one lighthouse, the Dillon Reservoir Lighthouse, also known as the Lake Dillon Lighthouse. It is located in the Dillon Reservoir (also referred to as Lake Dillon) in Summit County, Colorado. Although the exact completion date of the 26-foot tall tower is unknown, it was constructed along with the reservoir itself, which was completed in 1963. The lake is at an elevation of 9017 ft (2748 m), making this the highest elevation lighthouse in the U.S.^{[26][27][28][29]}

Nebraska

The state of Nebraska has at least two faux lighthouses which were first lit in 1939. There is no evidence that either were used for navigational purposes as the state has no large bodies of water that would require the need. Linoma Lighthouse is located on a privately owned recreation area which was developed around an artificial lake, while Lake Minatare Lighthouse was "built to simulate a lighthouse". Also of note is a faux lighthouse called Rock Garden Lighthouse (not listed below), located in Kearney.^[30][31]

Name	Image	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Year deactivated	Current Lens	Height
Linoma Lighthouse		Gretna	41°3′44″N 96°19′8″W	1939	Always	Active	Decorative	100 100 ft (30 m)
Lake Minatare Lighthouse		Scottsbluff	41°55′50″N 103°30′05″W	1939	Always	Active	Decorative	055 55 ft (17 m)

Pacific (states)

Clover Island Lighthouse (built 2010), in Washington is the first to be built in the United States since 1962.^[32]

State	Tallest[1] (H)	Shortest[1] (H)	Oldest (currently standing)
Alaska	075Cape Decision Light 75 ft (23 m)	020Point Sherman Light 20 ft (6.1 m)E	1906Eldred Rock Light (1906)[33]
Washington	107Grays Harbor Light 107 ft (33 m)	020Turn Point Light 20 ft (6.1 m)	1856Cape Disappointment (1856)
Oregon	093Yaquina Head Light 93 ft (28 m)[34]	025Warrior Rock Light 25 ft (7.6 m)	1870Cape Blanco Light (1870)
California	115Pigeon Point Light Point Arena Light 115 ft (35 m)F	020Lime Point Light 20 ft (6.1 m)	1855Point Pinos Light (1855)
Hawaii	138Moloka'i Light 138 ft (42 m)	022Kuki'i Point Light 22 ft (6.7 m)	1909Moloka'i Light (1909)G

South

America's tallest lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Light, located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina^B

State	Tallest[1] (H)	Shortest[1] (H)	Oldest (currently standing)
Alabama	131Sand Island Light 131 ft (40 m)[35]	054Middle Bay Light 54 ft (16 m)[36]	1873Sand Island Light (1873)
Florida	175Ponce de Leon Light 175 ft (53 m)	023Cedar Key Light 23 ft (7.0 m)[37]	1838Amelia Island Light (1838)
Georgia	145Tybee Island Light 145 ft (44 m)[38]	046Cockspur Island Light 46 ft (14 m)	1820Sapelo Island Light (1820)
Louisiana	Un­known	Un­known	1852New Canal Light (1839[39])
Mississippi	061Biloxi Light 61 ft (19 m)	030 Tie 30 ft (9.1 m)I	1848Biloxi Light (1848)
North Carolina	210Cape Hatteras Light 210 ft (64 m)	—	1817Bald Head Light (1817)
South Carolina	161Morris Island Light 161 ft (49 m)	018Haig Point F. R. Light 18 ft (5.5 m)	1827Cape Romain Light (Old) (1827)
Texas	116Point Bolivar Light 116 ft (35 m)	—	1852Point Isabel Light (1852)
Virginia	191Cape Charles Light 191 ft (58 m)	1855Deepwater Shoals Light (1855)	1792Cape Henry Lighthouse (1792)

United States territories

Garapan Light in Saipan, one of only two remaining lighthouses built during Japanese occupation

Main articles: List of lighthouses in the United States territories and List of lighthouses in Puerto Rico

United States Minor Outlying Islands

This table lists lighthouses that are in insular areas of the United States. All of the islands listed below are uninhabited, and have not been formerly incorporated into the country.^[40][41][42]

Name	Image	Location	Coordinates	Year first lit	Automated	Year deactivated	Current Lens	Height
Baker Island Light		Baker Island	0°11′44.8″N 176°29′03.4″W	1935	Never	1942	None	016 16 ft (4.9 m)
Howland Island Light (aka: Earhart Light)		Howland Island	0°48′20.6″N 176°37′08.6″W	1937	Never	1942	None	020 20 ft (6.1 m)
Jarvis Island Light		Jarvis Island	0°22′13.6″S 160°00′24.1″W	1935	Never	1945	None	016 16 ft (4.9 m)
Navassa Island Light		Navassa Island	18°23′50.7″N 75°00′46.2″W	1917	1929	1996	None	161 161 ft (49 m)
Sand Island Aviation Light	—	Midway Atoll	28°12′42.7″N 177°22′36.4″W	Un­known	Un­known	Active	Un­known	046 46 ft (14 m)
Wake Island Aviation Light	—	Wake Island	19°17′02.0″N 166°39′05.2″E	Un­known	Un­known	Active	Un­known	052 52 ft (16 m)

See also

• United States portal
• Engineering portal

• List of lighthouses in the United States by height
• List of lightships of the United States
• Lists of lighthouses
• National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
• National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act
• United States Lighthouse Society
• United States Coast Guard History and Heritage Sites

Further reading

• Crompton, Samuel Willard & Michael J. Rhein, The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses (2002) ISBN 1-59223-102-0; ISBN 978-1-59223-102-7.
• Hyde, Charles K., and Ann and John Mahan. The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-8143-2554-8 ISBN 9780814325544.
• Jones, Ray & Bruce Roberts, American Lighthouses (Globe Pequot, September 1, 1998, 1st Ed.) ISBN 0-7627-0324-5; ISBN 978-0-7627-0324-1.
• Jones, Ray,The Lighthouse Encyclopedia, The Definitive Reference (Globe Pequot, January 1, 2004, 1st ed.) ISBN 0-7627-2735-7; ISBN 978-0-7627-2735-3.
• Noble, Dennis, Lighthouses & Keepers: U. S. Lighthouse Service and Its Legacy Annapolis: U. S. Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 1-55750-638-8; ISBN 978-1-55750-638-2.
• Oleszewski, Wes, Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses, (Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios, Inc., 1998) ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
• Penrod, John, Lighthouses of Michigan, (Berrien Center, Michigan: Penrod/Hiawatha, 1998) ISBN 978-0-942618-78-5 ISBN 9781893624238.
• Penrose, Laurie and Bill, A Traveler's Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses (Petoskey, Michigan: Friede Publications, 1999). ISBN 0-923756-03-5 ISBN 9780923756031
• Pepper, Terry. "Seeing the Light: Lighthouses on the western Great Lakes". Archived from the original on January 30, 2008.
• Putnam, George R., Lighthouses and Lightships of the United States, (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1933).
• Roach, Jerry, Ultimate Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses, (2003).
• Thurston, Harry,Against Darkness and Storm: Lighthouses of the Northeast (Halifax: Nimbus, 1993).
• United States Coast Guard, Aids to Navigation, (Washington, DC: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1945).
• Price, Scott T. "U. S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation: A Historical Bibliography". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
• U.S. Coast Guard, Historically Famous Lighthouses (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1957).
• Wagner, John L. "Beacons Shining in the Night: The Lighthouses of Michigan". Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University.
• Wagner, John L., Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Photographic Perspective, (East Lansing, Michigan: John L. Wagner, 1998) ISBN 1-880311-01-1 ISBN 9781880311011.
• Weiss, George, The Lighthouse Service, Its History, Activities and Organization (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1926).
• Wright, Larry and Wright, Patricia, Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia Hardback (Erin: Boston Mills Press, 2006) ISBN 1-55046-399-3.

Notes

A.^ The shortest lighthouse in Massachusetts is either Palmer Island Light at 24 ft (7.3 m) or Brant Point Light at 26 ft (7.9 m). Sources remain split on this issue, with at least one claiming the latter as the shortest in New England.^{[43][44][45][46]}

B.^ The Perry Monument in Ohio and the Statue of Liberty in New York City are not classified as lighthouses. They would come in as the two tallest lighthouses in the United States otherwise.^[1][47]

C.^ Minnesota Point Light was built in 1858, but only half of the now ruined tower remains.^[48]

D.^ The oldest light station is Pottawatomie Light which was established in 1836; however, the current buildings date to 1858.^[49]

E.^ The shortest height is for a skeletal tower which was placed in 1981. For "traditional" lighthouses, Point Retreat Light and Cape Spencer Light are tied at 25 ft (7.6 m) each.

F.^ These two lighthouses are tied at 115 ft (35 m) each.

G.^ The oldest lighthouse in Hawaii was called "Lahaina Lighthouse", which was built in 1905 before it was replaced.^[50] Moloka'i Light is the oldest currently standing lighthouse; it was first lit a month before the still standing Makapuu Point Light.^[51][52]

H.^ Pass A L'Outre Light was originally constructed in 1852 elsewhere and moved to its present location.^[53][54]

I.^ Cat Island Light (first tower), Pass Christian Light, and Ship Island Light were all 30 feet tall.