[1] [2] [3]In 1797, a station authorized by George Washington was established at this point on the Cape, with a wood lighthouse to warn ships about the dangerous coastline between Cape Ann and Nantucket. It was the first light on Cape Cod. In 1833, the wood structure was replaced by brick and in 1840 a new lantern and lighting apparatus was installed. In 1857 the lighthouse was declared dangerous and demolished, and the current brick tower was constructed, with a first order Fresnel lens from Paris. Along with the lighthouse, there was a keeper's building and a generator shed, both of which can still be seen today.[6]
The lens was replaced in 1901 by an even larger first order lens floating on a bed of mercury. In 1932 the lamp was upgraded to a 1000 watt beacon. The Fresnel lens system was replaced by a Carlisle & Finch DCB-224, with a second unit as backup. Unfortunately, the lens was largely destroyed when it was removed, but fragments are on display in the museum on site. Finally, in 1998, a VRB-25 optical system was installed.
The present location of the lighthouse is not the original site. It was in danger of falling down the cliff due to beach erosion, so the structure was moved 450 feet (140m) to the west. The move was accomplished by International Chimney Corp. of Buffalo NY and Expert House Movers of Maryland over a period of 18 days in July, 1996.[3] It is now on the grounds of the Highland Golf Course. After an errant golf ball broke a window, they were replaced with unbreakable material.
