Derby Wharf Light

Derby Wharf Light is a small lighthouse at the end of a pier in Salem Harbor with a square brick tower about 4 meters tall. The structure features a lantern cupola at the top and continues to operate as an active navigational aid.

The lighthouse was built in 1871 to guide ships through Salem Harbor and operated with an advanced Fresnel lens that improved navigation. It survived harbor changes over the decades and remains a connection to the area's maritime past.

The Derby Wharf Light Station stands as a testament to Salem's maritime development and navigation technology advances during the nineteenth century industrial growth.

The lighthouse sits at the end of Derby Wharf and is easily accessible from Salem's historic downtown area. You can view and photograph it from outside, though access inside the structure is not available to visitors.

The lens inside this lighthouse was one of only a few Fresnel lenses of its kind ever installed in America. This detail makes it a rare example of engineering technology from the 1800s.

Location: Salem

Inception: 1871

Height: 4 m

GPS coordinates: 42.51656,-70.88358

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:05