Salem’s harbor is the second deepest and largest in Massachusetts, which led to the city’s development as a center for maritime trade. The harbor’s importance declined after the War of 1812, but there was still plenty of maritime traffic in 1869 when the lighthouse board decided to establish three new lights to aid mariners headed for Salem. The three lighthouses would be built at Hospital Point in Beverly, and at Derby Wharf and Fort Pickering (on Winter Island) in Salem.

Fort Pickering Light, built of cast iron and lined with brick, went into service on January 17, 1871. The lighthouse was built slightly offshore, and a six-room keeper’s house was farther back on the island. A wooden walkway, about 52 feet long, led to the tower.

Civil War veteran John Harris became keeper in December 1882. On the occasion of his retirement in 1919, when he was 75 years old, it was reported that Keeper Harris had been absent from the lighthouse for only five nights in 37 years. He ventured only occasionally into the city, about two miles away, for supplies. Harris shared the keeper’s house with his wife, Annie (Davis). Their son, Arthur, lived with them until he entered the Army.

Harris often rode his horse into the city. Until his retirement, he never saw the streets of Salem after dark, and never rode in a car. "It seems as though we have been out of the world for a long time, " he said, "and it will take some time for us to learn how to act among people." On the night he retired, Harris attended his first motion picture.

Coast Guard Air Station Salem was established on Winter Island in 1935. The Coast Guard left in 1969, and the lighthouse was replaced by a buoy. The old tower soon fell into disrepair. Concerned citizens formed the Fort Pickering Light Association in the early 1980s, and the association worked with the city’s Winter Island Commission to initiate the restoration of the lighthouse. The project culminated when the lighthouse was relighted in 1983 as a private aid to navigation.

A visit to Winter Island makes a pleasant trip in combination with nearby Salem Willows Park, a great spot for picnicking and strolling by the water. For more on Winter Island, call (978) 745-9430 or visit the local web site.

For much more on this lighthouse visit Lighthouse.cc

Copyright 2005 by Jeremy D'Entremont,New England Lighthouses
Photos are the property of the author and may not be used without permission.
Photos above from Jeremy D'Entremont.