Massachusetts and Rhode Island Have Nearly 100 Lighthouses

More than one hundred lighthouses once lit the way for mariners in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Some have been damaged or destroyed over the years, but most remain.

How many of the area's lighthouses have you visited?

The coasts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island are dotted with lighthouses, as is the Elizabeth Islands chain. Many of the lighthouses are approachable by land.

Lighthousefreinds.com has a complete list of all of the lighthouses past and present in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and a history of each.

Its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean makes the region dependent upon lighthouses and other aids to navigation to guide commercial and recreational vessels to port, often in stormy or foggy seas.

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Just as Vermont is known for its covered bridges, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are known for their many historic lighthouses. Just as folks journey to the Green Mountain State to visit and photograph those covered bridges, others travel the New England coastline to the Bay State and the Ocean State to see the lighthouses up close.

The Butler Flats, Palmer's Island, and Clark's Point lighthouses are among New Bedford's better-known beacons. In Fall River, the Borden Flats Lighthouse sits where the Taunton River flows into Mount Hope Bay. Of course, there is the Ned's Point Lighthouse in Mattapoisett and Bird Island in Marion.

Some other notable Massachusetts lighthouses are in Boston, Gloucester, Rockport, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and all along Cape Cod.

Rhode Island has some impressive lighthouses too. My favorite Rhode Island lighthouses include Point Judith, Castle Hill, Sakonnet in Little Compton, Watch Hill, and Block Island North and South in New Shoreham.

Tracking and photographing the area's lighthouses is a lot of fun and doesn't cost anything but a little gas money.