List of lighthouses in the United States


This is a list of lighthouses in the United States. The United States has had approximately a thousand lights as well as light towers, range lights, and pier head lights. Michigan has the most lights of any state with over 150 past and present lights. Lighthouses that are in former U.S. territories are not listed here.
Most of the lights in the United States have been built and maintained by the Coast Guard and its predecessors, the United States Lighthouse Service and the United States Lighthouse Board. Before the Lighthouse Board was established, local collectors of customs were responsible for lighthouses under Stephen Pleasonton. As their importance to navigation has declined and as public interest in them has increased, the Coast Guard has been handing over ownership and in some cases responsibility for running them to other parties, the chief of them being the National Park Service under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.
StateTallest Shortest Oldest
Maine133Boon Island Light
020Pond Island Light
1791Portland Head Light
Massachusetts124Cape Ann Light
Disputed1783Boston Light
New Hampshire058Isles of Shoals Light
048Portsmouth Harbor Light
1865Isles of Shoals Light
Rhode Island066Sakonnet Light
013Ida Lewis Rock Light
1831Poplar Point Light
Connecticut089New London Harbor Light
025Mystic Seaport Light
1801New London Harbor Light
Vermont040Windmill Point Light
013Whipple Point Light
1846Juniper Island Light

New Hampshire
The state of New Hampshire only has two lighthouses both of which are located along the Atlantic coastline.
NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensFocal Height
Isles of Shoals LightIsles of Shoals18591987ActiveVLB-44 LED unit
Portsmouth Harbor LightNew Castle18781960ActiveFourth order Fresnel

Vermont
NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensFocal Height
Burlington Breakwater North LightBurlington1857

2003
2003
Active035
Burlington Breakwater South LightBurlington1857

2003
2003
Active012
Colchester Reef LightShelburne1871Never1933-035
Isle La Motte LightIsle La Motte1856

1881
300mm025
Juniper Island LightSouth Burlington1826

1846
Never1954-025
Maxfield Point LightOrleans1879-025
Newport Wharf LightOrleans1879-025
Windmill Point LightIsle La Motte1830

1858
Active
300 mm025
Whipple Point LightOrleans18791906-025

Mid-Atlantic

StateTallest Shortest Oldest
New York168Fire Island Lighthouse
015Cape Vincent Light
1797Montauk Point Light
New Jersey171Absecon Light
036Ludlam's Beach Light
1764Sandy Hook Light
Pennsylvania068Presque Isle Light
030Turtle Rock Light
1857Erie Harbor Light
Delaware120Liston Range Rear Light
035Cherry Island Light
1858Fenwick Island Light
Maryland105Craighill Channel L.R.R.
015Craighill Channel U.R.F.
1825Pooles Island Light

Midwest

StateTallest Shortest Oldest
Illinois113Grosse Point Light
035Waukegan Harbor Light
1873Grosse Point Light
Indiana055Buffington Breakwater Light
030Gary Breakwater Light
1858Old Michigan City Light
Michigan124White Shoal Light
025Cheboygan Crib Light
1825Fort Gratiot Light
Minnesota070Duluth South Breakwater I.L.
034Grand Marais Light
1892Two Harbors Light
Nebraska100Linoma Lighthouse
055Lake Minatare Light
Ohio161Northwood Light
020Port Clinton Light
1821Marblehead Light
Wisconsin111Rawley Point Light
021Baileys Harbor Front RL
1853Baileys Harbor Light

Nebraska
The state of Nebraska has at least two faux lighthouses which were first lit in 1939. There is no evidence that either were used for navigational purposes as the state has no large bodies of water that would require the need. Linoma Lighthouse is located on a privately owned recreation area which was developed around an artificial lake, while Lake Minatare Lighthouse was "built to simulate a lighthouse". Also of note is a faux lighthouse called Rock Garden Lighthouse which is located in Kearney.
NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensHeight
Linoma LighthouseGretna1939AlwaysActiveDecorative100
Lake Minatare LighthouseScottsbluff1939AlwaysActiveDecorative055

Pacific (states)

StateTallest Shortest Oldest
Alaska075Cape Decision Light
020Point Sherman Light
1906Eldred Rock Light
Washington107Grays Harbor Light
020Turn Point Light
1856Cape Disappointment
Oregon093Yaquina Head Light
025Warrior Rock Light
1870Cape Blanco Light
California115Pigeon Point Light
Point Arena Light
020Lime Point Light
1855Point Pinos Light
Hawaii138Moloka'i Light
022Kuki'i Point Light
1909Moloka'i Light

South

StateTallest Shortest Oldest
Alabama131Sand Island Light
054Middle Bay Light
1873Sand Island Light
Florida175Ponce de Leon Light
023Cedar Key Light
1838Amelia Island Light
Georgia145Tybee Island Light
046Cockspur Island Light
1820Sapelo Island Light
Louisiana1852New Canal Light
Mississippi061Biloxi Light
030 Tie
1848Biloxi Light
North Carolina210Cape Hatteras Light
1817Bald Head Light
South Carolina161Morris Island Light
018Haig Point F. R. Light
1827Cape Romain Light
Texas116Point Bolivar Light
1852Point Isabel Light
Virginia191Cape Charles Light
1855Deepwater Shoals Light
1792Cape Henry Lighthouse

United States territories

United States Minor Outlying Islands

This table lists lighthouses that are in insular areas of the United States. All of the islands listed below are uninhabited, and have not been formerly incorporated into the country.
NameImageLocationCoordinatesYear first litAutomatedYear deactivatedCurrent LensHeight
Baker Island LightBaker Island1935Never1942-016
Howland Island Light
Howland Island1937Never1942-020
Jarvis Island LightJarvis Island1935Never1945-016
Navassa Island LightNavassa Island191719291996-161
Sand Island Aviation LightMidway AtollActive046
Wake Island Aviation LightWake IslandActive052

General

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