Lighthouse History

Some History of Lighthouses

In the beginning, the first lighthouses were fires lit on hills. Later, oil lamps with panes of glass or horn were used. By 1600, 30 major lighthouses had been built between France and Italy. They burned mainly wood, coal or were torches in the open. Oil lamps and candles were also used.

The Lanterna of Genoa in Italy was a lighthouse built in 1139, rebuilt in 1544 and is still there today. The keeper of the light in 1449 was Antonia Columbo, uncle of Christopher Columbus. The most famous French lighthouse of that period was on the small island of Cordouan in the estuary of the Gironde River. It was 100 feet high and 135 feet in diameter at its base. It had an elaborate interior of vaulted rooms, decorated with gold, carved statues and arched doorways. It took 27 years to build. It was the first lighthouse to be built in the open sea. Instead of lighthouses, lights from chapels and churches were often used instead.

Modern Era

Modern lighthouses, those exposed to the open sea, started to be constructed around 1700. They were made of wood but many were lost to fire or swept out to sea. John Smeaton, an English engineer, built a masonry tower of blocks built in an interlocking pattern relying on its weight to hold it to the ground. He gave the lighthouse a curved shape. It was attractive but it also served to lessen some of the energy of the waves by sweeping them up the walls. The first lighthouse of the North American continent was built in 1716 on Little Brewster Island off Boston. By 1820, there were 250 major lighthouses in the world.

Modern Lighthouses

Concrete and steel, masonry and brick continued to be used in lighthouse construction. Using caissons, large open-ended cylinders, lighthouses are built in the open sea. The cylinders, 40 feet in diameter were sunk into the sea floor and filled with concrete on which the lighthouse was built. Some lighthouses were built on shore and floated out. A cylinder base or bottom 50 feet in diameter was filled with sand to hold it down and weighed 5,000 tons or more and relied on their weight for stability.

Illuminates

Wood fires were used until 1800. Coal was used in Europe because it was compact and longer burning. The coal fire was brighter than wood but a lighthouse could use 300 tons or more per year and the smoke produced blackened the lantern panes, cutting out the light.

Oil Lamps

In 1782 a Swiss scientist, Aime Argand invented an oil lamp with a circular wick and a glass chimney. Some lamps had as many as 10 wicks to burn. These lamps originally burned fish oil, later vegetable oil and by 1860 mineral oil. The Argand lamp was used in lighthouses for more than 100 years.

Gas Lamps

Acetylene gas could be burned as an open flame or mixed with air and the light from these was equal in brightness to oil. It could be controlled very easily so automatic unattended lighthouses were possible. It allowed lighthouses in remote and inaccessible locations to function with only a yearly visit for maintenance and replenishing the storage cylinders.

Electric Lamps

The first electric light in a lighthouse was in 1862 in England. Today the electric-filament lamp is the standard illuminate from 1,500 watts for the largest structures to 5 watts for buoys and minor beacons. (Our light bulbs are usually 40 to 200 watts).

Optical Equipment

With the invention of the Argand lamp, which was a steady and reliable light, people began to look for ways to make the lights brighter. Reflectors were invented and covered with small pieces of silvered glass or shaped metal reflectors. These acted like many mirrors and increased the light as much as 400 times. The reflectors were rotated to make them visible from any direction.

Identification

Most lighthouses flash or eclipse their lights to provide an identification signal. The particular pattern of flashes or eclipses is known as the character of the light and the interval at which it repeats itself is called the period. The lighthouse can be identified by these signals. Steady burning lights are called fixed lights. They give sailors accurate directions in ports, harbours and esturial approaches. The need to identify a lighthouse in daytime is important also, so lighthouse structures are painted to stand out against the surrounding background. Shore lighthouses are usually painted white for this purpose, but in open sea or against a light background, bands of contrasting colours red or black are usually used.

Sound Signals

Sometimes in bad weather it was difficult to see a lighthouse and its light, so sound signals were added. The first sound signals were explosive. At first cannons were used and later explosives were added above the lantern and set off electrically. Sometimes they had a bright flare with the noise. These signals could be heard up to 4 nautical miles away. Bells were also used. Some bells were very large and weighed up to one ton. About the turn of the 20th century, compress-air foghorns were developed. Modern foghorns are electric. Due to atmospheric conditions, the range of sound is effected and so sailors relied on light and the foghorn. Today with global positioning devices, ships know their location and the location of shallow water or land, however lighthouses and fog horns are still trusted and used by ships.

National Lighthouse Systems

All countries publish Light Lists, which are catalogs of the characteristics and location of all lighthouses, lightships, buoys and beacons under their control.





		Some History of Lighthouses In the beginning, the first lighthouses were fires lit on hills. Later, oil lamps with panes of glass or horn were used. By 1600, 30 major lighthouses had been built between France and Italy. They burned mainly wood, coal or were torches in the open. Oil lamps and candles were also used. The Lanterna of Genoa in Italy was a lighthouse built in 1139, rebuilt in 1544 and is still there today. The keeper of the light in 1449 was Antonia Columbo, uncle of Christopher Columbus. The most famous French lighthouse of that period was on the small island of Cordouan in the estuary of the Gironde River. It was 100 feet high and 135 feet in diameter at its base. It had an elaborate interior of vaulted rooms, decorated with gold, carved statues and arched doorways. It took 27 years to build. It was the first lighthouse to be built in the open sea. Instead of lighthouses, lights from chapels and churches were often used instead. Modern Era Modern lighthouses, those exposed to the open sea, started to be constructed around 1700. They were made of wood but many were lost to fire or swept out to sea. John Smeaton, an English engineer, built a masonry tower of blocks built in an interlocking pattern relying on its weight to hold it to the ground. He gave the lighthouse a curved shape. It was attractive but it also served to lessen some of the energy of the waves by sweeping them up the walls. The first lighthouse of the North American continent was built in 1716 on Little Brewster Island off Boston. By 1820, there were 250 major lighthouses in the world. Modern Lighthouses Concrete and steel, masonry and brick continued to be used in lighthouse construction. Using caissons, large open-ended cylinders, lighthouses are built in the open sea. The cylinders, 40 feet in diameter were sunk into the sea floor and filled with concrete on which the lighthouse was built. Some lighthouses were built on shore and floated out. A cylinder base or bottom 50 feet in diameter was filled with sand to hold it down and weighed 5,000 tons or more and relied on their weight for stability. Illuminates Wood fires were used until 1800. Coal was used in Europe because it was compact and longer burning. The coal fire was brighter than wood but a lighthouse could use 300 tons or more per year and the smoke produced blackened the lantern panes, cutting out the light. Oil Lamps In 1782 a Swiss scientist, Aime Argand invented an oil lamp with a circular wick and a glass chimney. Some lamps had as many as 10 wicks to burn. These lamps originally burned fish oil, later vegetable oil and by 1860 mineral oil. The Argand lamp was used in lighthouses for more than 100 years. Gas Lamps Acetylene gas could be burned as an open flame or mixed with air and the light from these was equal in brightness to oil. It could be controlled very easily so automatic unattended lighthouses were possible. It allowed lighthouses in remote and inaccessible locations to function with only a yearly visit for maintenance and replenishing the storage cylinders. Electric Lamps The first electric light in a lighthouse was in 1862 in England. Today the electric-filament lamp is the standard illuminate from 1,500 watts for the largest structures to 5 watts for buoys and minor beacons. (Our light bulbs are usually 40 to 200 watts). Optical Equipment With the invention of the Argand lamp, which was a steady and reliable light, people began to look for ways to make the lights brighter. Reflectors were invented and covered with small pieces of silvered glass or shaped metal reflectors. These acted like many mirrors and increased the light as much as 400 times. The reflectors were rotated to make them visible from any direction. Identification Most lighthouses flash or eclipse their lights to provide an identification signal. The particular pattern of flashes or eclipses is known as the character of the light and the interval at which it repeats itself is called the period. The lighthouse can be identified by these signals. Steady burning lights are called fixed lights. They give sailors accurate directions in ports, harbours and esturial approaches. The need to identify a lighthouse in daytime is important also, so lighthouse structures are painted to stand out against the surrounding background. Shore lighthouses are usually painted white for this purpose, but in open sea or against a light background, bands of contrasting colours red or black are usually used. Sound Signals Sometimes in bad weather it was difficult to see a lighthouse and its light, so sound signals were added. The first sound signals were explosive. At first cannons were used and later explosives were added above the lantern and set off electrically. Sometimes they had a bright flare with the noise. These signals could be heard up to 4 nautical miles away. Bells were also used. Some bells were very large and weighed up to one ton. About the turn of the 20th century, compress-air foghorns were developed. Modern foghorns are electric. Due to atmospheric conditions, the range of sound is effected and so sailors relied on light and the foghorn. Today with global positioning devices, ships know their location and the location of shallow water or land, however lighthouses and fog horns are still trusted and used by ships. National Lighthouse Systems All countries publish Light Lists, which are catalogs of the characteristics and location of all lighthouses, lightships, buoys and beacons under their control.
		Thank you to Historian Colin Purcell for all his help & research