Derby Wharf Light
Derby Wharf Light Station is a historic lighthouse on Derby Wharf in Salem, Massachusetts that is within the Salem Maritime National Historic Site.
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| Location | Salem, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 42°30′59.6″N 70°53′0.9″W |
| Year first constructed | 1871 |
| Year first lit | 1871 |
| Automated | 1970s |
| Deactivated | 1977–1983 |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | Square |
| Markings / pattern | White Black |
| Tower height | 4 metre |
| Focal height | 25 feet (7.6 m) |
| Original lens | 5th order Fresnel lens 1871-1906 4th order 1906-1910 6th order 1910-1970s |
| Current lens | Solar-powered optic |
| Range | 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl R 6sec |
| Fog signal | none |
| Admiralty number | J0296 |
| ARLHS number | USA-224 |
| USCG number | 1-10129[1][2] |
| Heritage | place listed on the National Register of Historic Places |
Derby Wharf Light Station | |
| MPS | Lighthouses of Massachusetts TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001466[3] |
| Added to NRHP | June 15, 1987 |
It was built in 1871 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.[2][3] The United States Coast Guard Light List[1] description is "White square tower. Maintained by the U.S. Park Service". The actual light is 25 feet (7.6 m) above Mean High Water. Its red light is visible for 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi).
History
The Light Station was originally built in 1871 and used an oil lamp shining through a Fresnel lens. For many years, Derby Wharf Light had one of only 17 sixth-order Fresnel lenses in the United States. Today, the light is solar powered, and the light is a red flash every six seconds.
See also
References
- Light List, Volume I, Atlantic Coast, St. Croix River, Maine to Shrewsbury River, New Jersey (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2010. p. 83.
- "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Massachusetts". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office. Archived from the original on 2017-05-01.
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
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