Nobska Lighthouse - Falmouth, Mass.

Above is the Nobska Lighthouse, Falmouth, Mass. One of the most lovely sights on Cape Cod is Nobska Point, where this lighthouse has stood since the 1870s, replacing an earlier lighthouse which dated back to 1829.

The nearby village of Woods Hole was home to a large whaling fleet in the early 1800s, and Nobska Point overlooked a great deal of maritime traffic. According to the website featured below, in the very first year of the lighthouse, 1828, more than 10,000 vessels passed here, and on just one day in 1864, 199 vessels including 175 schooners were counted. Very heavy traffic indeed, and what a sight it must have been.

The Coast Guard took over the operation of lighthouses in 1939, but civilian keepers remained here at Nobska Point Light until November 1973.
The light was automated and the Coast Guard keepers were removed in 1985. After automation, the station became the home for the commander of U.S. Coast Guard Group Woods Hole, now Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England.

There are occasional public open house events in season, but the exterior of the lighthouse is easily accessible any time, with a small parking area beneath it. Up close, you can take all the fabulous pictures of the lighthouse you want, and the view from Nobska Point looking out over the water towards Martha’s Vineyard remains as breathtaking as ever.

For more on Nobska Lighthouse, have a look at this website.