Cape Ann Light Station

Cape Ann Light Station consists of two granite towers on Thacher Island off the Massachusetts coast, with one remaining in active service for maritime navigation. The site also includes keeper houses and support buildings that show how lighthouse staff lived and worked on this remote location.

The station was established in 1771 and represented the last lighthouse complex built under colonial British rule. This innovation helped protect ships by specifically marking navigation hazards rather than simply guiding vessels safely past them.

The name comes from the Cape Ann region, named by early European settlers who established themselves along this rugged coastline. Visitors can see how the towers and keeper houses reflect the building traditions of maritime New England communities.

You can reach the site by boat during summer months through services arranged by the Thacher Island Association. Plan for several hours to walk around the island's trails and prepare for exposed, windy conditions typical of this coastal location.

The two towers form one of the last surviving examples of paired lighthouses on the United States coast, a rare configuration that once warned ships of dangerous shoals. The original Fresnel lens from the south tower now sits in the Cape Ann Museum nearby, separated from its original location for preservation.

Location: Rockport

Inception: 1771

GPS coordinates: 42.63679,-70.57493

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:47