Name and Location

The Bakers Island Light, also known as the Bakers Island Lighthouse, is an active aid to navigation located in Salem Harbor Approach, Salem/Manchester-by-the-Sea, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. The official address is Bakers Island (a private island), with coordinates 42°32′11″ N, 70°47′10″ W.

2. Construction and History

The first light station was authorized by Congress in 1791, followed by the construction of a wooden beacon. In 1821, the present stone tower was built as part of the Winslow Lewis contract. This makes it one of the nation's oldest surviving lighthouse towers. The keeper's dwelling was built in 1855 and replaced earlier structures. The station was automated in 1972, and routine preservation work has been carried out on the tower masonry and keeper's house roofs.

3. Architecture and Materials

The tower is conical, made of cut New England granite, and unpainted (natural gray). It stands at a height of 38 feet, with a focal height of approximately 71 feet above mean high water. The original lens was a 5th-order Fresnel, replaced by a modern acrylic lens (190 mm) in the current era. The characteristic is flashing white with a period of 6 seconds (Fl W 6s), and the nominal range is 10 nautical miles.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse has been automated since 1972, with a solar-powered backup and battery bank. It does not have on-site radar installation; instead, maritime traffic is monitored via Salem Harbor VTS. Nautical references include NOAA Chart 13268 and the U.S. Coast Pilot 1, Chapter on Massachusetts Bay.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Public access to the lighthouse is restricted due to the private ownership of Bakers Island. Visitors can approach by private boat only, with permission from the island owners for landing. No regular ferry service or tours are available; the lighthouse and keeper's quarters are private residences.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

Visitors report panoramic views of Salem Harbor, Marblehead Neck, and Cape Ann coastline. The rugged granite outcrops and salt-marsh vistas also offer a unique landscape experience.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Several 19th-century keepers reported intense storms "breaking over the gallery deck." Unverified tales exist about a phantom light seen offshore on foggy nights, likely misidentified vessel lanterns.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the U.S. Coast Guard District 1 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since November 28, 1978. It does not have a fog signal or AIS/Radar installation; instead, maritime traffic is monitored via Salem Harbor VTS.

9. Further Information

For further reading and references, please consult the U.S. Coast Guard Light List, Vol. I, Atlantic Coast; National Register of Historic Places nomination form (1978); "Lighthouses of Massachusetts" by Robert F. Churchill (Fordham Univ. Press, 1998); NOAA Chart 13268 (Salem Harbor Approach); and MassGIS Lighthouses dataset: http://mass.gov/mgis/lighthouses.htm