Name and Location

The Highland/Cape Cod Light, also known as the Highland Light Station, is located at 27 Highland Light Road, Provincetown (North Truro), Barnstable County, MA 02657, USA. The coordinates are 42°02′21.2″ N, 70°03′43.5″ W.

2. Construction and History

The light was first established in 1797, making it one of the oldest on Cape Cod. The current tower was erected in 1857, replacing an earlier structure built in 1837. In 1996, the lighthouse was moved inland by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect against shoreline erosion. It was automated in 1987, previously tended by lightkeepers until the 1950s/60s. The lighthouse is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (1987).

3. Architecture and Materials

The designer-builder of the lighthouse is the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment (a mid-19th-century federal agency). The construction consists of a brick tower on a granite foundation, with an attached keeper's house that now serves as a museum. The exterior finish is white-painted tower and black lantern house.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse has a conical tower height of 66 ft (20 m) above the base and a focal plane of 75 ft (23 m) above mean high water. The light characteristic is flashing white every 7.5 seconds (Fl W 7.5 s), with a nominal range of 21 nautical miles. The original lens was a fourth-order Fresnel, replaced by a modern optic today.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is open seasonally from late April to mid-November. Hours are daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with admission fees applying (approx. $9 adults, $6 youth/seniors). Guided tower climbs are available for an additional fee. Facilities include a gift shop, exhibits on local maritime history, and restrooms.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse is situated atop Highland Hill, Cape Cod's highest natural elevation (approximately 100 ft above sea level), offering panoramic vistas of Cape Cod Bay, Provincetown Harbor, the Pamet River valley, and surrounding dunes. Trails connect to Province Lands Bike Trail (Cape Cod National Seashore).

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

The light has inspired marine artists such as Edward Hopper, and keeper stories include enduring harsh winter storms and recording shipwreck rescues off Wood End. Locals also speak of the "watcher's ghost" said to wander on stormy nights (an unverified anecdote).

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard (Light List No. 1-137). The light is operated in partnership with Cape Cod National Seashore (National Park Service).

9. Further Information

For more information, please visit the Highland Lighthouse Preservation Society's website at https://www.highlandlighthouse.org/.