5 Great Resources for Those Who Love Lighthouses

Lighthouses have captured the attention of everyone from tourists to historians for centuries. If you enjoy learning about the history of lighthouses in the U.S. and abroad, check out these five resources:

National Lighthouse Museum Staten Island, NY

The National Lighthouse Museum Board of Trustees, Board of Advisors and Friends are working to raise funds as they establish a National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island. The museum will strive to advance and support historical, educational, cultural, recreational and other related activities onsite, while also promoting the historical significance of lighthouses throughout the U.S. This comprehensive website showcases the museum's progress and includes a curator's blog, a keeper's blog, lighthouse events around the country and more. 

United States Coast Guard Historic Light Stations

This site includes information and links useful for researching lighthouses, the career of anyone who served with the Lighthouse Service or the Coast Guard, and other related documentation. For example, it's possible to read The United States Lighthouse Service online, courtesy of Google Books. Also check out Lighthouse Service uniforms throughout history and Lighthouses Then & Now.

Elinor DeWire's Author Blog

This is a lighthouse blog by Elinor DeWire, a public speaker and author of many books and articles on lighthouses, nautical topics and sky-watching. Popular blog posts include A Lighthouse for the Old Bremerton Navy Yard, A Lovely Song and the Guardians of the Light: Stories of U.S. Lighthouse Keepers section. DeWire also maintains a Facebook and Google Plus page with lighthouse content.

The Lighthouse Directory

This comprehensive site is managed by Russ Rowlett, an adjunct professor of mathematics at UNC-Chapel Hill. It provides information and over 30,000 links for more than 18,300 of the world's lighthouses. Rowlett founded the site in 1999 during the period of time when North Carolina's Cape Hatteras lighthouse was relocated. His mission was to create a tool for research and study concerning lighthouses and efforts to preserve those lighthouses. As of 2009, the site includes listings all over the world. It is a work-in-progress, as there is always new information to add.

Association of Lighthouse Keepers

This website is a forum provided by the Association of Lighthouse Keepers (UK) for everyone interested in lighthouses, lightships and maritime aids to navigation. You do not have to be a lighthouse keeper to join the Association--anyone with an interest is welcome. This site also provides information about the Association of Lighthouse Keepers' Quarterly Journal and instructions for ordering back issues through 1989.