Collectibles
Harbour Lights - Chatham, Massachusetts
- Item Number
- 185
- Estimated Value
- 70 USD
Item Description
When Chatham Light was first built on Cape Cod in 1808, it was actually twin lighthouses, in an effort to distinguish the new beacon from nearby Highland Light. The first sentinels were 40 feet high and set 70 feet apart. They were built of wood, with a small dwelling for keepers.
In 1841, 40-foot brick towers, built further inland from the rapidly eroding cliff, replaced the wooden towers. In 1857, the twins received fourth order Fresnel lenses, each showing a fixed white light.
Before an 1870 winter storm, Chatham Lights stood 228 feet from the edge of a 50-foot bluff. The force broke through beaches and over the next seven years, erosion took the lighthouses within 48 feet of the cliff’s edge. Within another two years, the south tower teetered 27 inches from falling and fishermen were placing bets on when it would happen. On December 15, the south tower fell to the beach below, and fifteen months later, the keeper’s house and north tower suffered the same fate.
Fortunately, the lens had been removed two years earlier and placed in a third set of Chatham Lights. These towers were built of iron and lined with brick.
In 1923, the north light was moved to Eastham to replace the Three Sisters. This ended 115 years of twin Chatham lighthouses.
Item Special Note
HL 172. Introduced and retired in 1998. In original box with certificate of authenticity. This replica was retired early because it was realized that the roof line of the model did not match the actual keeper's house. The mold was broken, making this a uniquely collectible item.
Donated By:
Lighthouse Depot
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