The Mayo Beach Light was an early

lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Ligh ...

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...

. Deactivated in 1922, the second tower was moved to

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and re-erected as the Point Montara Light in 1928.

History

This light was erected to help guide boats into the

Wellfleet, Massachusetts Wellfleet is a New England town, town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, and is located halfway between the "tip" and "elbow" of Cape Cod. The town had a population of 3,566 at the 2020 United ...

harbor. The first light consisted of a brick house with a lantern set in the center of the roof. The usual multiple lamp and reflector system of the day was used, though four of the ten lamps were found to shine over land only and were shortly discontinued. Ironically, three wrecks occurred in the light's vicinity within the first fifteen years of its operation. In 1857 the light was upgraded with a

Fresnel lens A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens (optics), lens which reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections. The simpler Dioptrics, d ...

. The condition of the house was reviled by early keepers, and

Stephen Pleasonton Stephen Pleasonton (1776? – January 31, 1855) was the first "Fifth Auditor" of the U.S. Treasury Department; he is historically significant for his role in saving early American government documents from possible destruction, but is chiefly rem ...

, the first federal supervisor of lighthouses, had requested the light's disestablishment. Nevertheless, it remained in service until 1881. In that year a totally new light was erected on the same location. This consisted of a 30-foot cast iron cylindrical tower lined with brick, which stood immediately adjacent to a newly erected keeper's house, the old building having been demolished as an obstruction. This light remained in service until 1922, when the station was discontinued. The keeper's house was sold to a private concern, and the tower was removed; its circular foundation remains visible next to the house. The house can still be seen on Kendrick Avenue in Wellfeet, or on Google Street View. Just to the left and behind the house, the picturesque original oil storage shed for the lighthouse can still be seen and is often the subject of photographs and paintings itself. For many years it was believed that the tower was demolished around 1939. However, research in 2008 showed that the tower had not been scrapped, but had instead been transported across the country and re-erected at the Point Montara Light, replacing a wooden framework tower erected in 1912. Evidence for the move was found in the form of letters detailing the transfer, which were uncovered by Colleen MacNeney. The lighthouse is now a functioning lighthouse in California, using an FA25 lens, and can be visited at the Point Montara Youth Hostel that is owns the property. Mayo Beach Light is also notable as having an early female keeper. Sarah Atwood succeeded her husband in 1876 and served until 1891.

References

{{authority control Lighthouses completed in 1837 Lighthouses completed in 1881 Lighthouses in Barnstable County, Massachusetts 1837 establishments in Massachusetts