A History Of The Lighthouse

Lighthouses have been a romantic fixture along coastlines for thousands of years. Probably the most famous lighthouse in history is the lighthouse that was on the coastline of ancient Alexandria. In the United States, you can find classic lighthouses along both the east and west coasts as well as great lighthouse prints of historic lighthouses.

While lighthouses were commonly built in many coastal European cities, the first lighthouse to appear in North America was built in St. Augustine, Florida. This lighthouse was built in 1586 and was first depicted on a map in 1791.

The oldest existing lighthouse in the United States is the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, which is located in New Jersey. Built in 1764, this lighthouse is still in operation today. Lighthouses have long been a part of the landscape of North America and by the end of the 1800s, the United States had more lighthouses than any other country in the world. This is still true today, although many lighthouses have fallen into disrepair and are not currently used for their original purpose. However, it is still possible to collect lighthouse prints and paintings that depict these classic lighthouses from the past.

Although lighthouses in the United States have been under the control of many different federal governmental departments over the years, they are currently under the control of the United States Coast Guard. Control of lighthouses was transferred to the Coast Guard in 1939.

Traditionally, lighthouses were staffed and maintained by lighthouse keepers, who often lived on lighthouse grounds along with their families. It was a hard way of life and often very isolated, since lighthouses are generally located on small islands off the coastline.

During the heyday of lighthouses – in the 1700s and 1800s – maintaining and staffing a lighthouse was a very labor-intensive process. Lighthouse keepers were required to keep the lighthouse lit every night. In order to accomplish this, they needed to clean the lenses regularly, keep the fuel stocked, trim the wicks of the lights, wind the clocks that kept the lighthouse prints on schedule and wash all of the windows in the lighthouse tower.

Today's lighthouses are not nearly as beautiful as the lighthouses of the past. Generally, they are built for function rather than form and operate with a minimal amount of staffing and maintenance. They utilize solar power and often look like air traffic control towers.

While many people are not able to visit historical lighthouses, the images of lighthouses from the past are highly collectable and often used as part of a decorating theme. It is easy to find lighthouse prints online and in retail stores that have beach and seashore decorating items. Other lighthouse items that are popular include lighthouse figurines and paintings of classic lighthouses.