Light House

In the year 1716, the Boston Light House was the first light house to be built in the Untied States. This light house was rebuilt in 1783 after it was destroyed in the Revolutionary War. Three years later a fog horn of sorts was developed to warn ships from sailing too close to the rocky ledges. A cannon was fired repeatedly and used as this fog warning signal.

The first US Light House Establishment was started in 1789. This was operated by the Department of the Treasury. By the year 1820, the use of bells became common as a fog signal warning. Cannons as fog warning signals would soon be a thing of the past. Thirty years later, the United States formed a Light House Board to watch over all of the US light houses.

Considered to be one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of the time, the first light house built of stone was completed in the year 1860. This amazing building took over five years to complete. Steam powered fog signals were finally installed into the US light houses in the year 1869.

Kerosene had been used to light up light houses until 1886 when electricity was used to light up the Statue of Liberty. Soon, electric light was used in light houses across the US shores. For the first time in US history, all light houses had their lights turned off during the Spanish American War. In 1916 Congress created the Bureau of Light Houses which took over the Light House Board. Ten years later light houses were also aiding air navigation, sending beams of light up into the sky.

Finally, in the year 1939, the United States Coast Guard merged with the United States Light House Service becoming the first military branch that was ever to take over another government branch. Currently all United States light houses are automated except for one light house located in Boston. The Boston light house is the oldest station and will continue to be staffed with light keepers. Many of the automated light houses have workers living in them but they are not controlling the lights. Usually they are caretakers, Coast Guard families, or custodians maintaining the property.