American Lighthouses

 I've said a few days ago that last month I've received a few official cards from the USA but half of them were actually from other countries. The other half were from different American states, Maine, Texas and Mississippi but, coincidentally, all lighthouses.

 

PR Hornby Photographic Trust

US-11759737, sent by Olivia. 

York County lighthouses, in South Coast Region of Maine.

Whaleback Light - built in 1872. The lighthouse is accessible only by boat and is closed to the public;

Boon Island Lighthouse - the tallest lighthouse in Maine. Its first granite tower was built in 1811, however it was destroyed in a storm in 1832. The current version was built in 1855 and features a dome-covered beacon. As one of the state’s most remote lighthouses, it’s susceptible to fierce Atlantic storms. Boon Island Light remains an active navigational aid, though it’s not open to the public and is privately owned. - in: https://www.visit-maine.com

Cape Neddick ("Nubble") Light - built in 1879. The lighthouse and grounds are not open to the public;

Goat Island Light - built in1859. The island is accessible by boat only. The island and lighthouse are not open to the public except by special arrangement. Active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation;

Wood Island Lighthouse - built in 1858. Active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation. Wood Island can be reached only by boat. The island and lighthouse are open to the public only during tours offered in July and August. - in: https://www.visit-maine.com

 

 US-11759740, sent by Kelsi.

The lighthouse was built in 1852 due to the great number of shipwrecks that had occurred off Brazos Island in the Gulf of Mexico. By 1905, the lighthouse was decommissioned due to a downturn in maritime traffic caused by changes to the Rio Grande and the growth of railways. Present day, a reconstructed lighthouse keeper’s cottage sits in the shadow of Port Isabel’s 72-foot lighthouse and serves as a visitor center and museum. In 2022, after 117 years without a light, a 3rd Order Fresnel Lens was fitted in the lantern room. This addition brought the lighthouse back to the glory days it had not seen since 1905. Climb 75 winding stairs, three short ladders, and take in the coastal sights of the South Padre Island beaches at the last Texas lighthouse open to the public. - in: https://thc.texas.gov

 

Photo by Grant

US-11759745, sent by Grant.

Built in 1848, the Biloxi Lighthouse was one of the first lighthouses in the South made of cast iron. The most notable lightkeepers were Maria and Miranda Younghans, a mother-daughter duo who tended the light for 63 years.
In 1939, the United States Coast Guard took ownership of the Lighthouse until 1969, when it was handed over to the City of Biloxi. Soon after, it was opened for public tours. It was eventually added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and was declared an official Mississippi Landmark in 1987.
The 64-foot-tall lighthouse took a beating from multiple weather events over the years. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina made a big impact after much of the structure was damaged by the winds, which toppled many bricks that lined the interior of the cast iron tower. The storm’s winds also broke many of the windows in the light cupola and destroyed the electrical system. The lighthouse reopened in March 2010 as a symbol of the area’s resilience during the post-Katrina era. - in: https://msgulfcoastheritage.ms.gov