Name and Location

Three Sisters Light #1 is one of three identical wooden beacons built in 1837-38 on Nauset Beach, Eastham, Massachusetts. The lighthouse is situated just south of Nauset Light on Cable Road, within Cape Cod National Seashore.

Construction and History

The Three Sisters were constructed between 1837 and 1838 as part of a range light system to guide vessels safely past shifting shoals. The trio was deactivated in 1923 when a single, more powerful Nauset Light replaced them. Shortly after deactivation, Light #1 was moved to its current location adjacent to Nauset Light Station.

Architecture and Materials

The original structure of Three Sisters Light #1 is described as a 1½-story, conical/hip-roofed wooden tower with a small lantern room on top of a keeper's house. The materials used were timber frame, clad in wooden shingles.

Light and Navigation

While exact dimensions are not recorded separately, all three sisters were approximately 15-20 feet tall, with lights at about 40 feet above mean sea level. It is speculated that the lighthouse displayed a fixed white light visible for roughly 8-10 nautical miles. The lighthouse was never automated; it was deactivated before widespread electrification.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is currently used as a historic exhibit, with no active navigational use. The Managing Authority is the U.S. National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore. Visitors can access the exterior of the lighthouse but climbing or entry is not permitted for preservation reasons. Interpretive panels describe the history of the Three Sisters.

Notable Views and Landscape

Visitors to the area can also enjoy Nauset Light Station (built 1877), Nauset Beach (nationally renowned surfing and sunbathing spot), Marconi–RCA Wireless Receiving Station Site (historic WWI wireless station ruins), and Coast Guard Beach (just north of Nauset Light).

Anecdotes and Folklore

Folklore holds that fishermen called the three beacons "The Sisters" because from a distance they resembled three watchful sentinels guarding the shoals. During storms, the shifting sands sometimes covered their lower walls, forcing keepers to dig them out by hand.

Technical and Operational Details

No additional technical or operational details are available for Three Sisters Light #1.

Further Information

For more information, please visit the following references: MassGIS Lighthouses, Office of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS), "Three Sisters of Nauset," Wikipedia, and National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore official site.