Have you ever noticed America’s fascination with lighthouses? They are found on calendars, cards, prints, and electronic image pages (think Pinterest or Shutterstock which as of today has 91,000+ images of lighthouses). A lighthouse is often used as a religious symbol of God’s guiding light, even though I don’t believe the word “lighthouse” is found in the Bible.
Ask.com says that, “A lighthouse can symbolize….overcoming challenges and adversity….a way forward….through the world.”
Have you ever considered the irony of this positive image when lighthouses were actually established to WARN pre-GPS sailors of difficult or treacherous waterways such as dangerous shoals or reefs? I want to know how the PR person for lighthouses performed this amazing transformation. I mean, seriously, if you have NEVER visited a single lighthouse, raise your hand. Hmmm. I’m seeing just one hand raised. Well, every study needs an outlier.
The study of lighthouses is called pharology, although the term “pharologist” is still pending acceptance as a word. (I’m telling you—you learn interesting information in researching material for a blog!) According to Pharology.eu, the word Pharos is the Greek word for lighthouse. They go on to state that the first recorded lighthouse was actually named Pharos (that’s convenient) and was located in Egypt. Apparently it was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. (Although since it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century, you can cross that off your “cool places to visit” bucket list.)
The oldest lighthouse in America is the Boston Light. It was built in 1716. Every lighthouse in America was automated by the government by 1990 except for Boston Light. According to the National Park Service, preservation groups fought to keep Coast Guard staff on Brewster Island to man the Boston Light, and that’s still the case today. And so you may, along with me, actually add Boston Light to your “I want to go there someday” bucket list.
Because despite their original intent, lighthouses remain a positive icon of standing tall, serving as a steady source of help to us in avoiding danger and navigating through difficult ways.
To my readers – Tell us about your personal favorite lighthouse visit.
My favorite is the Cape Hatteras Light in the Outer Banks, NC. Built in 1870, it was successfully relocated 2900 feet inland in 1999 due to shore erosion & for historical preservation of the beautiful structure. It was truly an amazing process for this to occur.
We’ve been there too, and I do recall this. When our children were small, the OBX was an annual vacation.
I visited Martha’s Vineyard with two friends in 1996. We spent the day exploring the island and took a tour bus where we saw several lighthouses. I took several pictures of the Gay Head Lighthouse. I have since read that it has been successfully moved away from the eroding cliff in 2015. I can only imagine what that must have entailed. I only wish I could have seen its red and white beam at night where it could be seen for almost 20 miles out – the brochure reads, “Warning ships of the coastline and the treacherous shoal extending about a half-mile into the water.”