Last updated: November 18, 2025
Place
Spectacle Island Range Lights
National Archives
Quick Facts
Location:
Spectacle Island
OPEN TO PUBLIC:
No
In 1892, the US Lighthouse Board argued that range lights were needed on Spectacle Island to mark the turning point in the channel entering the harbor from Nixes Mate, as well as the center of the channel that passed the South Boston Flats.
Congress appropriated money for the lights in 1895. Construction of two tapered octagonal wooden towers on the northeast part of Spectacle Island finished in 1897. The front tower stood at 13.3 feet high, and the rear 23 feet. When navigating the channel, mariners used the vertical alignment of these two lights to ensure their ship remained on course and away from danger. The installation also included a keeper’s house.
In 1904, both towers moved to new foundations 15 feet south of their original location. However, by 1900, the main shipping channel into Boston Harbor changed from the Narrows to Broad Sound. This effectively made the range lights on Spectacle obsolete, so shortly after their move, the towers were discontinued in 1913. The towers and keeper’s house were demolished sometime thereafter.
Prepared by Nancy S. Seasholes, 2009. Updated 2025.
Sources
Jeremy D'Entremont, "History of Spectacle Island Range Lights, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts," accessed November 18, 2025, Spectactle Island Range Lights history - NEW ENGLAND LIGHTHOUSES: A VIRTUAL GUIDE.