2012 Cape Ann Guide – Experience Cape Ann…serving Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Rockport. Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce.
Issue link: http://capeannguide.epubxp.com/i/133875
Lighthouses of Cape Ann ANNISQUAM HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE L4 White light flashing every 7.5 seconds with red sector. Annisquam Harbor Lighthouse (Annisquam Light) was erected in 1801 to mark the entrance to the Annisquam River at Wigwam Point, a popular Native American summer encampment. The river connected Ipswich Bay to Gloucester Harbor following the construction of the Blynman Canal. Annisquam Light's wooden frame was replaced with the existing 41 foot brick tower, focal plane of 45 feet, in 1897. The quaint lighthouse is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard and is accessible from the nearby village of Annisquam in Gloucester. Directions: Although there has been limited access to the light station in the past, there is no longer 34 public access. The road to the lighthouse is private, and there is no parking. Annisquam Light may be viewed from Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester, across the Annisquam River. Directions: The light is easily viewed from the tip of Bearskin Neck in downtown Rockport. STRAIGHTSMOUTH ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE L5 A National Historic Landmark White light flashing five times at 20 second intervals. Also known as Cape Ann Light Station, the Twin Lights are the only surviving multiple lights on the coasts of the United States. The original 45-foot towers were constructed and lit in 1771, making them among the oldest of America's lighthouses. The stout 124-foot granite towers (with a focal plane of 166 feet) seen today replaced the original lights in 1861. The two towers, North and South, were constructed and placed so that when a ship sights on both towers, they point to true north, allowing sailors to check and adjust their compasses. Green light flashing every 6 seconds. Straightsmouth Island Lighthouse (Straitsmouth Light) was built in 1835 to mark the entrance to nearby Rockport Harbor. The present brick lighthouse was built in 1896 with a height of 37 feet and a focal plane of 46 feet. The relatively small lighthouse is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, but the island itself is owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society as a bird and wildlife sanctuary. Cape Ann Guide 2013 ~ Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport THACHER ISLAND TWIN LIGHTHOUSES (TWIN LIGHTS) L1