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On Sunday, September 8, a bright late summer afternoon, local residents gathered in Chandler Hovey Park on Marblehead Neck on Boston’s North Shore to enjoy a celebration of the Marblehead Light Station, first established in 1835. Officially a rededication of the lighthouse by the Town of Marblehead and the U.S. Coast Guard, the event took place virtually in the shadow of the 1896 brown skeletal-type tower. It is the only lighthouse of its type in the New England states. A highlight of the gathering was the unveiling of a new plaque outlining some of the history of the light and its keepers.
A number of descendants of the light’s keepers were present, including Barbara Rogers Mace, whose father Edwin Rogers was keeper from 1930 to 1938. Ms. Mace was born during the years her father was keeper at Marblehead, as were two of her siblings. While she was happy to see the lighthouse and its keepers recognized, Ms. Mace and some of the other descendants expressed sadness that the keeper’s house no longer stands. The light was automated in 1960, and the dwelling was destroyed many years ago. At the rededication, signs were placed in various areas marking where buildings once stood - “house,” “barn,” “privy” and others.
Also present was Karen Martin, who is a distant relative of Jane Martin, the second keeper of the lighthouse. Keeper Martin was for a time the only woman lighthouse keeper on the east coast. She learned to tend the light while she had lived on nearby Baker’s Island where her father was keeper.
Janet Drayton and Barbara Drayton Kiernan, granddaughter and great granddaughter respectively of Keeper Henry T. Drayton (1893-1928), shared photos of their family’s lighthouse life. They said that for years after the original 1835 lighthouse was replaced by the new one in 1896, Keeper Drayton still proudly held onto the key to the old tower. His son, Lawrence Drayton, was born at the lighthouse and later became a keeper of Plymouth Light in Massachusetts.
Don Doliber and Judy Jacobi, co-chairs of the Marblehead 350th Anniversary of Incorporation Committee, addressed the audience. Ms. Jacobi described the hard work by a number of people leading to the new plaque near the lighthouse. Mr. Doliber spoke of the significance of the site to the town, saying, “It’s a symbol of safety and protection for the town and the people of Marblehead.”
Rear Admiral Vivien S. Crea, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, came to the event from her home at Hospital Point Light in the nearby city of Beverly. In her remarks, Admiral Crea stressed the partnership between the Coast Guard and the various entities that now care for lighthouses. “Not only do lighthouses provide a very practical service as aids to navigation for ships at sea,” she said, “they serve as symbols of our rich maritime heritage and add to the splendor of our remarkable New England coastline. Additionally, lighthouses seem to touch the emotional core of every person who takes a moment to study the structure’s lines, observe the light, or listen to its fog signal. During my short tenure as the First District Commander, I have developed a richer understanding of just how special lighthouses are to New England. For those who may not know, I have the privilege of residing in the quarters of Hospital Point Light in Beverly. Being able to climb the lighthouse tower, admire the Fresnel lens and survey the seascape are memories that will always be with me.”
Jeff Shribman, Chairman of the Marblehead Board of Selectmen, was presented with an award by Captain Daniel May, Commander of Coast Guard Group Boston. Bill Conly, former Chair of the Marblehead Board of Selectmen and the lighthouse’s historian, recounted much of the station’s history, saying, “The most important thing at any lighthouse is the keepers. Today that’s who we’re going to recognize.” He spoke of the first keeper, Ezekiel Darling, who had been a gunner on the U.S.S. Constitution, and told stories of the succeeding keepers.
After concluding his remarks, Mr. Conly directed the keepers’ descendants to the plaque, which they proudly unveiled. This was immediately followed by a musket volley salute by a re-enactment group, Glover’s Marblehead Regiment. The door to the iron lighthouse was then opened to the public, and the Coast Guard helped conduct tours. People patiently waited in line for the rare chance to ascend the tower’s 127 steps.
The Town of Marblehead now has a license to care for the tower, while the light is still maintained as an active Coast Guard aid to navigation. In recent years the Marblehead Rotary Club has decorated the tower with white lights in the Christmas season, and with red, white and blue lights around the Fourth of July.
This story appeared in the
November 2002 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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