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Before scientific advancements improved maritime navigation, lighthouses warned sailors of dangerous coastal areas, such as rocks, shallow channels, and sandbars. The powerful lights served as a guidepost for safe passage to harbor. Their distinctive structure enables sailors to determine their position, navigate coastlines, and safely enter harbors. 

In today’s modern era of electronic aids to navigation, lighthouses don’t play as significant a role in maritime safety as they once did. They still serve to warn mariners of dangerous shallows and perilous rocky coasts, and they help guide vessels safely into and out of harbors. They also hold historical and architectural significance. 

Tour South Shore Lighthouses

These towering structures evoke a sense of beauty for many as they have withstood the harsh winds and waters of the New England coastline. The South Shore, in particular, is home to several unique lighthouses from Cohasset to Mattapoisett. 

Let’s take a drive along the shore to explore the majestic lighthouses that the South Shore has to offer. 

Minot’s Ledge Light

Minot’s Ledge Light is located near Cohasset Rock, approximately a mile off the coast of Cohasset and Scituate, and is best viewed by water. According to the New England Lighthouse Guide, Minot’s Ledge itself was named for George Minot, a prominent Bostonian who owned the city’s T Wharf in the mid-1700s. A ship belonging to Minot was wrecked at the ledge, hence the name.

Scituate Light

This iconic lighthouse was commissioned in 1811 and sits in Scituate Harbor. The Lighthouse, located on Lighthouse Road in Scituate, is open to the public on the dates of the Scituate Historical Society’s Open House, which are posted annually on their website. The Lightkeeper’s cottage is a private residence. It still serves as an active aide to navigation and flashes every 15 seconds. 

According to the Scituate Historical Society, “Captain Simeon Bates, the first keeper of Scituate Lighthouse, his wife and nine children lived at the house. During the War of 1812, Abigail and Rebecca – the young daughters of Keeper Bates – prevented the British from sacking the town.”

Gurnet Light 

While not accessible to the public, Gurnet Light may be open occasionally for open houses, including during Duxbury’s Opening of the Bay festival each May.

Duxbury Pier Light “Bug Light”

Bug Lighthouse was first lit on September 15th, 1871, and was the first cast iron caisson-style lighthouse in the United States. Initially, it was installed to protect mariners from the dangerous shoal off Saquish Head. 

Ned’s Point Lighthouse

Located at the North side of the entrance to Mattapoisett Harbor, Ned’s Point Lighthouse was built in 1838 as a navigational aid to the harbor. The tower is open during July and August, Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon and the grounds are open every day. 

If you are visiting the South Shore this summer or fall and plan to stop in one of the many towns along the coast, keep an eye out for these beautiful pieces of Massachusetts and American history.