Cape Poge Light, sometimes called Cape Pogue Light, is at the northeast tip of
Chappaquiddick Island
Chappaquiddick Island (Massachusett language: ''tchepi-aquidenet''; colloquially known as "Chappy"), a part of the town of Edgartown, Massachusetts, is a small peninsula and occasional island on the eastern end of Martha's Vineyard. Norton Poi ...
that is part of
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the Northeastern United States, located south of Cape Cod in Dukes County, Massachusetts, known for being a popular, affluent summer colony. Martha's Vineyard includes th ...
, off the coast of
Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mon ...
,
.
At least four towers have been built on Cape Poge, with many moves. In 1801 the first wooden Cape Poge Lighthouse was built for $2,000. During the
War of 1812
The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It ...
the light was extinguished for a few months and its apparatus was hidden in the cellar of a Chappaquiddick house. This first lighthouse was moved in 1825 and again in 1838 due to an eroding bluff.
In 1844 a new tower was built for $1,600 and in 1857 supplied with a fourth order
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) for use in lighthouses. It has been called "the invention that saved a million ships."
The design allows the ...
. However, in 1878 it was reported that the keeper's house would probably "fall into the sea within two years." A third lighthouse was therefore built in 1880.
Finally, in 1893 the current, , white conical wood tower was constructed, inland from the previous one. The current tower has been moved four times, in 1907, 1922, 1960, and in 1987 when it became the first lighthouse to be moved by
helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attribut ...
). The light was automated in 1943. It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artist ...
in 1987.
The current light is a solar powered beacon that flashes white every 6 seconds and is visible for . The light's focal plane is above mean high water. The light is currently active and is under the auspices of the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
, however the tower has been transferred and is now owned and operated by
The Trustees of Reservations
The Trustees of Reservations is a non-profit land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is the oldest land conservation nonprofit orga ...
, who provide tours during the summer season. The lighthouse can be reached via a hike from the Dike Bridge or by four-wheel drive vehicle.
The Cape Poge Lighthouse can be seen in the final two shots in the film "
Jaws
Jaws or Jaw may refer to:
Anatomy
* Jaw, an opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth
** Mandible, the lower jaw
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Jaws (James Bond), a character in ''The Spy Who Loved Me'' and ''Moonraker''
* ...
", off to the right as Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss swim back to shore.
List of Keepers
* Mathew Mayhew (1801)
* Benjamin C. Smith (12 days - 1834)
* Lott Norton (1835)
* Aaron Norton (1844)
* Edward Worth (1850)
* Daniel Smith (1853)
* George Ripley Marchant (1859)
* Edward Worth (1866)
* Edward Worth (1867), Jethro Worth, Ass't
* Jethro Worth (1882)
* George H. Fisher (1883)
* George E. Dolby (1898)
* George E. Dolby (1900), Alfred A. Howard, Ass't
* Wallace A. Eldredge (1902), Alfred A. Howard, Ass't
* ? Westron, Ass't (1904)
* J.E. Barrus, Ass't (1904)
* J.E. Barrus (1908), Charles H. MacKay, Ass't, E.H. Hopkins (1913) Ass't
* Henry L. Thoms (1919), ? King, Ass't
* Albert S. Smith (1919) Ass't
* Henry L. Thomas (1921) (In 1921, Cape Pogue Light becomes one-man station)
* Marcus Pieffer (1931)
* Joseph H. DuBois (1938)
* Light automated in 1943
See also
*
References
External links
{{authority control
Tourist attractions on Chappaquiddick Island
Lighthouses completed in 1801
Lighthouses completed in 1893
Lighthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts
National Register of Historic Places in Dukes County, Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations