Mayo Beach Light, Cape Cod, Massachusetts
Built in 1837, deactivated in 1922. Structure dismantled and moved to California and re-erected as the Point Montara Light in 1928.
MAYO BEACH LIGHT
Location: On Mayo Beach, at the head of Wellfleet Harbor, westerly side of Cape Cod.
Station Established: 1838
Year Current/Last Tower(s) First Lit: 1881
Operational: No
Automated: n/a
Deactivated: 1922
Foundation Materials:
Construction Materials: Cast iron
Tower Shape: Cylindrical
Markings/Pattern: Brown with black lantern room; white dwelling; red brick oil-house
Height: 25 feet from base of structure to center of tower
Relationship to Other Structure: Separate
Original Lens: Refl'r.
Characteristic: Fixed white
Fog Signal: None
Historical Information:
* 1837 – 1838 – Keeper’s house with integral tower built for $2819.18
* 1838-1842 – Three shipwrecks occurred in the vicinity of the light station. The most notable was the brig Diligence.
* 1856 – 1857 – Fresnel lens and new lamps installed.
* 1868 – Minor repairs made to the lighthouse.
* 1878 – The Lighthouse Board made a recommendation to Congress that the lighthouse be rebuilt.
* 1880 – 1881 – Integral lighthouse replaced by larger house with a separate tower. The old structures impeded the visibility of the light, consequently they were razed.
* 1898 – A major storm carried away the plank bulkheads and soil around the house.
* 1907 – Oil house built.
* 1922 – Light station was disestablished.
* Circa 1939 – The tower was razed.
Keepers:
* Joseph Holbrook (1838-1865)
* William Atwood (1865-1876)
* Sarah Atwood (1876-1891)
* James Smith (1891-?)
* Charles Turner (c. 1890s-1922)
Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.