The lighthouse in Scituate, Massachusetts, is notable for a number of reasons, including the following:• The 1811 lighthouse and keeper's house are the oldest lighthouse/dwelling combination in the U.S.
• The lighthouse is the scene of a famous War of 1812 story -- the "Scituate Army of Two," when two daughters of the keeper turned away invading British forces.
• The lighthouse was rescued from ruin by the Scituate Historical Society, after years of abandonment.
• In March 1956, the Italian freighter Etrusco ran aground right next to the lighthouse.
• In 1994, the lighthouse was reactivated as an aid to navigation, following 134 years in darkness.
In early 2009, schoolteacher Bob Gallagher was chosen by the Scituate Historical Society to be the new resident caretaker. Bob lives with his family in the keeper's house. You can follow his adventures on his blog - oldscituatelight.blogspot.com.
Scituate Lighthouse will be open on five remaining open house dates in 2010: July 18, August 7 & 8, August 22, and October 17. All are 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Visiting this lighthouse during an open house is a treat. Not only do you get to climb into the lantern room, but you can also explore the covered passageway between the house and tower where display panels tell about the lighthouse and other aspects of local history.
For more on Scituate Light, visit here and here.
