Massachusetts - Fort Pickering Lighthouse

The Fort Pickering Lighthouse is located at Salem, MA. It served as an official aid to navigation for only a quarter of a century. It is one of three lighthouses built in an around Salem during the early 1870's. Its conical tower and ten-sided lantern stands atop a concrete base. The cast-iron tower, brick-lined inside, was originally painted brown and connected to shore by a white bridge. As shipping declined in the late 19th century, usefulness of the light diminished, and its use was discontinued in 1897. The tiny tower, since painted white, is all that remains of the station. The keeper's house, service buildings, and footbridge have all been removed. At the time of my visit in 1997, the light, then solar-powered, was operated by the City of Salem as a private aid to navigation.