Light Houses Galore

FLASH... FLASH... FLASH...A lighthouse signals from the rocky shore, guiding ships away from danger. Once sailors watched for giant bonfires that were set high on hills. Now, most lighthouses are fully automated...

Stories of the heroism and fortitude of the men and women of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, who kept vital shipping lanes safe from 1716 until the early 20th century. Vivid tales about the daily work; coping with fog, storms, and other catastrophes; women's and families' roles; lighthouse children and pets; the natural world around lighthouses; and the diverse characters of those who held the job.

Originally published in 1889. This volume from the Cornell University Library's print collections was scanned on an APT BookScan and converted to JPG 2000 format by Kirtas Technologies. All titles scanned cover to cover and pages may include marks notations and other marginalia present in the original volume.

Hundreds of American women have kept the lamps burning in lighthouses since Hannah Thomas tended Gurnet Point Light in Plymouth, Massachusetts, while her husband was away fighting in the War for Independence...

There is something romantic and heroic about lighthouses, they interrupt darkness and dispel danger with their reassuring beacons, symbolizing hope and security for both seafarers and land lovers. Bob Trapani, executive director for the American Lighthouse Foundation and co-founder of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation, recounts the stories of twenty-seven beacons from the lost Cape Henlopen Light Station, completed in 1767, to the Marcus Hook Range Rear Light Station, constructed in 1920...