Tag: lighthouse

Highland Lighthouse/Cape Cod Lighthouse

The Highland Lighthouse (also known as Cape Cod Lighthouse) is one of the most famous on Cape Cod – and even included in Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau in 1865:

“THIS LIGHT-HOUSE, known to mariners as the Cape Cod or Highland Light,
is one of our “primary sea-coast lights,” and is usually the first seen by
those approaching the entrance of Massachusetts Bay from Europe.”

What are some of your favorite lighthouses on Cape Cod?

highland lighthouse cape cod

Highland Lighthouse in North Truro

lighthouse 1

Visit Highland Lighthouse in North Truro—the tallest and oldest lighthouse on Cape Cod— before it undergoes a $1.2 million renovation by the National Park Services this fall. George Washington commissioned and established the original 45-foot-tall wooden lighthouse on the cliff of North Truro back in 1797, and in 1831 a brick lighthouse was built nearby, replacing the original. The present 1875 brick lighthouse is 66-foot-tall and was moved from eroding cliffs to keep it from falling into the Atlantic Ocean in 1996. When that happened, the ventilation was blocked to make the move easier. This fall it will close and ventilation will be reestablished; masonry will be repaired; a breathable coating will be applied to the exterior; windows will be replaced; corroded elements will be repaired or replaced; and safety improvements will be made. For directions, hours of operation and more information, visit www.highlandlighthouse.org/plan-your-visit-2.