List of lighthouses in Alaska

This is a list of all lighthouses in the U.S. state of Alaska as identified by the United States Coast Guard. There are eleven active lights in the state; the other five have been replaced by automated skeleton towers.

The history of Alaskan lighthouses predates the Seward purchase: the Russians had erected a light at Sitka, in Baranof Castle (located on Castle Hill); this light was found unnecessary by the Lighthouse Service and discontinued, but was taken over by army and maintained by them until 1877.[1] The first American lighthouses in the state were erected in 1902[2] but most early lights were rebuilt before 1940 in a distinctive Art Deco style; the only surviving building from the earlier group is the Eldred Rock Light.[2] The last constructed were replacements for the lights on Unimak Island in 1950.[3]

Alaska has the northernmost and westernmost lighthouses in the United States,[4] and some of the most isolated as well. Keepers at the Cape Sarichef and Scotch Cap Lights on Unimak Island in the Aleutians were not permitted to bring their families to the station, and served four years before getting an entire year of leave;[3] Cape Sarichef received no supplies from August 1912 to June 1913, and both lights shut down in the winter due to sea ice.[1] Scotch Cap was also the site of the worst lighthouse disaster in US history, when it was destroyed by a tsunami in the 1946 Aleutian Islands earthquake, killing all five coastguardmen stationed there.[2]

If not otherwise noted, focal height and coordinates are taken from the United States Coast Guard Light List,[5] while location and dates of activation, automation, and deactivation are taken from the United States Coast Guard Historical information site for lighthouses.[3]

Name Location Coordinates Image Focal
Height 		Built[note 1] Automated Deactivated Status
Cape Decision Light Kuiu Island 56°00′05″N 134°08′13″W / 56.0014°N 134.1369°W / 56.0014; -134.1369 (Cape Decision Light) 96 ft (29 m) 1932 1974 Active
Cape Hinchinbrook Light Hinchinbrook Island 60°14′15″N 146°38′47″W / 60.2374°N 146.6465°W / 60.2374; -146.6465 (Cape Hinchinbrook Light) 235 ft (72 m) 1910/1934 1974 Active
Cape St. Elias Light Kayak Island 59°47′54″N 144°35′56″W / 59.7984°N 144.5988°W / 59.7984; -144.5988 (Cape St. Elias Light) 85 ft (26 m) 1916 1974 Active
Cape Sarichef Light westernmost point of Unimak Island 54°35′54″N 164°55′39″W / 54.5982°N 164.9276°W / 54.5982; -164.9276 (Cape Sarichef Light) 177 ft (54 m)[6] 1904/1950 1974 1999 replaced by skeleton tower
Cape Spencer Light Cross Sound 58°11′56″N 136°38′26″W / 58.1988°N 136.6405°W / 58.1988; -136.6405 (Cape Spencer Light) 105 ft (32 m) 1925[note 2] 1974 Active
Eldred Rock Light Lynn Canal 58°58′15″N 135°13′15″W / 58.9709°N 135.2209°W / 58.9709; -135.2209 (Eldred Rock Light) 91 ft (28 m) 1905 1973 Active
Fairway Island Light Peril Strait 57°26′34″N 134°52′18″W / 57.4428°N 134.8718°W / 57.4428; -134.8718 (Fairway Island Light) 41 ft (12 m)[5] 1904 1917-1925[note 3] Replaced with minor light
Five Finger Islands Light juncture of Frederick Sound and Stephens Passage 57°16′13″N 133°37′53″W / 57.2704°N 133.6315°W / 57.2704; -133.6315 (Five Finger Islands Light) 81 ft (25 m) 1902/1935 1984 Active
Guard Island Light Clarence Strait 55°26′45″N 131°52′52″W / 55.4459°N 131.8811°W / 55.4459; -131.8811 (Guard Island Light) 74 ft (23 m) 1904/1924 1969 Active
Lincoln Rock Light Clarence Strait 56°03′25″N 132°41′49″W / 56.057°N 132.697°W / 56.057; -132.697 (Lincoln Rock Light) 58 ft (18 m)[5] 1903/1911 1968 Original house replaced by skeleton tower on same foundation[note 4]
Mary Island Light Mary Island in Revillagigedo Channel 55°05′56″N 131°10′57″W / 55.0990°N 131.1826°W / 55.0990; -131.1826 (Mary Island Light) 76 ft (23 m) 1903/1937 1969 Active
Point Retreat Light Admiralty Island 58°24′41″N 134°57′18″W / 58.4115°N 134.9551°W / 58.4115; -134.9551 (Point Retreat Light) 63 ft (19 m) 1904/1923 1973 Active
Point Sherman Light Lynn Canal 58°51′11″N 135°09′06″W / 58.8531°N 135.1517°W / 58.8531; -135.1517 (Point Sherman Light) 1904 1932 demolished; new light erected in 1981
Scotch Cap Light southwest point of Unimak Island 54°23′45″N 164°44′43″W / 54.3958°N 164.7453°W / 54.3958; -164.7453 (Scotch Cap Light) 116 ft (35 m)[6][note 5] 1903/1950 1971 ca. 1977[7] replaced by skeleton tower
Sentinel Island Light Lynn Canal 58°32′46″N 134°55′22″W / 58.5460°N 134.9229°W / 58.5460; -134.9229 (Sentinel Island Light) 86 ft (26 m) 1902/1935 1966 Active
Tree Point Light Revillagigedo Channel 54°48′10″N 130°56′02″W / 54.8029°N 130.9338°W / 54.8029; -130.9338 (Tree Point Light) 86 ft (26 m) 1903/1935 1969 Active

Notes

  1. ↑ If there is a second date, it represents the date the most recent tower was lit.
  2. ↑ preceded by an unmanned light in 1913
  3. ↑ Date of deactivation is uncertain.
  4. ↑ From 1911 to 1968 light was maintained from fog station on adjacent island.
  5. ↑ Height is for 1950 tower.

References

  1. 1 2 Noble, Dennis (1999). "Alaska and Hawaii: A Brief History of U.S. Coast Guard Operations" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-07-05.
  2. 1 2 3 "Lighthouses of the United States: Alaska". Russ Rowlett.
  3. 1 2 3 "Historic Light Station Information and Photography: Alaska". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
  4. ↑ de Wire, Elinor (2007). The Lightkeepers' Managerie: Stories of Animals at Lighthouses. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press. ISBN 9781561643912.
  5. 1 2 3 Light List, Volume VI, Pacific Coast and Pacific Islands (PDF). Light List. United States Coast Guard. 2012.
  6. 1 2 Willapa Bay (Map). 1:300,000. US Department of Commerce. 1968. Chart 8860.
  7. ↑ Bering Sea:Eastern Part (Map). 1:1,534,076. NOAA. 1978. Chart 16006. This is the first chart catalogued which shows the shorter skeleton tower.
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