Northern Coast Reference Timeline

How the lighthouse network took shape along the northern coast

From hand-lit beacons to coordinated preservation, this chronology traces the key transitions that defined navigation safety and coastal life.

1. 1770s–1810s · First coastal lights

   Local harbor authorities raised timber towers with coal braziers, creating the coast’s earliest fixed warning points for night passage.

2. 1820s–1850s · Stone towers and standard plans

   State surveys replaced improvised structures with masonry towers, introducing shared height and spacing rules for safer route reading.

3. 1860s–1890s · Fresnel era expansion

   Imported Fresnel lenses intensified range and clarity, while new feeder lights extended coverage to reefs, inlets, and shifting shoals.

4. 1900s–1950s · Keeper stations and automation

   Keeper families maintained daily logbooks and weather records until radio beacons and automated lamp changers began reducing full-time staffing.

5. 1960s–Today · Preservation and public memory

   Decommissioned sites were cataloged by local archives and heritage groups, turning surviving towers into studied landmarks and visitable history.