National Historic Landmark Lighthouse

Cape Ann Light Station

Designated: January 3, 2001

Other Name: Thacher Island Twin Lights

Location: One mile off coast of Rockport, Massachusetts

Author of Nomination: Paul St. Germain, Director, Thacher Island Association, completed 1998

Images courtesy of Paul St. Germain

Summary of Significance: The Cape Ann Light Station is noted for some very significant firsts and lasts in the history of light stations in the United States. The original towers were the last to be built under British rule. The first light station to mark a "dangerous spot" along the coast, the ten prior colonial lighthouses simply marked harbor entrances. Crucially important in the early American coastal trade, the lights stand at a historically pivotal location where this country's maritime transportation network to and from Europe, Canada, and the West Indies, all converged on Massachusetts Bay. The lights are also associated with specific events and reflect important advances in technology and engineering, especially in terms of illumination.

Complete text of nomination (requires Acrobat Reader)

Supporting images

Link to NHL Home Page

Link to Cape Ann Light Inventory Page