Eastham, MA
Est 1838, 48 feeet tall
Built 1877 and moved in 1923.

This lighthouse is a Cape Cod icon, gracing countless calendars and potato chip bags. It’s one of the most photographed lighthouses anywhere. Here’s the whole story, part of our weekly Lighthouse Guide by expert Jeremy D’Entremont.

Jeremy’s Lighthouse Guide #36

In response to a petition from local citizens, the government decided in 1837 to establish a lighthouse station at Eastham. To differentiate the new station from its Cape Cod neighbors, a unique plan was devised. Three identical lighthouses were built, a rare case of triplet lighthouses.

The "Three Sisters of Nauset" fought a long battle with erosion. Three new wooden towers were built in 1892, further back from the edge of the bluff. By 1911 the cliff eroded to within eight feet of the northernmost tower. Two of the lighthouses were removed and the center one was moved back and attached to the keeper's house.

In 1918 the two defunct towers were bought by a private party and incorporated into a summer cottage. The cottage was later used as a dance studio.

By 1923 the remaining Sister was in poor condition. Meanwhile, Chatham Light was changed from a twin to a single light station, and the discontinued Chatham twin was transported to Eastham. The cast-iron tower from Chatham remained white until 1940, when the top half was painted red. The keeper's house was moved back from the edge of the cliff and placed near the new tower. The last of the Sisters passed into private hands and became the cupola of a residence known as "The Beacon."

In just three years, from 1991 to 1994, 30 feet of the cliff disappeared just east of the lighthouse. The Nauset Light Preservation Society (NLPS) was formed, spearheaded by local residents. In 1996, the relocation of the tower was funded by a federal grant and over $30,000 from the NLPS, much of it raised by selling souvenirs from a garage.

The move of the 90-ton tower finally commenced on November 16, 1996. Hundreds of people crowded the area as the lighthouse was pulled across the street to its new site to safety. The light now operates as a private aid to navigation. In late 1998, the keeper’s house was moved to a new foundation near the lighthouse.

The National Park Service purchased the old Three Sisters towers, and they were reunited in their original configuration about 1,800 feet from Nauset Light. A restoration was finished in 1989. The National Park site is now open to the public with rangers offering tours from spring to fall. The Three Sisters are accessible via a 1/3 mile walking trail from the parking area at Nauset Light Beach.

For much more on the HISTORY of the this light click here.
For more on the NLPS and open house dates, see the official web site