I have tried to no avail to find information on the Hospital Point Light in Massachesetts. Can someone help me out...is it a real lighthouse? I know that CSC has sculpted it and I talked to Kim about HL doing it but I can't find any info to send her. If HL ever does sculpt the piece I get dibs on #911 :-)

Kat

Hi Kat - Here's a pretty good picture from the USCG District 1: www.uscg.mil/d1/units/grubos/images/hospitalpt.jpg

Here's some additional info: www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/light/hosp.htm

Here's another picture: www.lighthouse.cc/other/HOSP3.JPG

Hope this helps a little.


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Keepin' the flame



[This message has been edited by LamarB (edited 07-14-99).]

We visited the light last fall for some photos, but have not uploaded them to the website yet. The light is in Beverly, Massachusetts (Cape Ann), just over the bridge from Salem. The light is still in very good shape. It is a private residence on a dead end street, and well kept up. Cannot tresspass on the property (white picket fence runs the perimeter), but the street is right next to the light and easy to photograph.

A smallpox hospital was built at the point in 1801, and burned down in 1849 (how the area received it's name). The lighthouse was built in 1872, and was also used as a small military barracks in WWII.

The First Baptist Church in downtown Beverly was technically a lighthouse also. A beacon was placed in one of the steeple windows in 1927 at 127 feet off the ground.

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Rod Watson

Kat, a good source of information is Massachusetts Lighthouses, A Pictorial Guide by Courtney Thompson. It states that "it still has the original 3 1/2 order Fresnel Lens with condensing panel in front. This panel, unique to American lighthouses, causes the light intensity to diminish as the mariner veers from the main channel into Salem Harbor." Also "major additions were made to the keeper's house in 1968". The light in the First Baptist church that Rod referred to is the rear range light to this one. Also, "automated in 1947, has since been home to the Commander of the First Coast Guard District" and "at dead low tide walking from nearby Ober Street Beach takes you in front of the lighthouse."

[This message has been edited by mombo (edited 07-16-99).]