Boon Island Light

Year Built

1811

Cost

$2,377

Type

Conical tower connected to building

Height

135 feet

Location

Boon Island

Automated Year

1980

First Lit

1855 (current tower)

Lens Type

Second order Fresnel lens (original), VRB-25 (current)

Fog Signal

Horn 1 every 10s

Year Deactivated

Active

Color

Gray

Last Keeper - Date

Fred Kendall (1973–1975)

Description

As Boon Island is a very flat piece of land, well surrounded by ledges, the tower appears at times to be springing up from the sea from a submerged ledge, especially when low clouds are flying.

Brief History

•  The first lighthouse on Boon Island was a 50 foot wooden tower built in 1799. It lasted five years before a storm destroyed it.
•  A stone day beacon was erected to replace the wooden tower. It was used until 1811 when a new tower was built.
•  The tower was only 32 feet above sea level and was destroyed in a storm in 1832.
•  The light was still manned until the blizzard of 1978 struck.
•  May 2000 the Coast Guard licensed the light to the American Lighthouse Foundation.