Long Point Lighthouse
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Built in 1826
Location:
At the end of a sandy section of land forming Provincetown Harbor in Provincetown. Its is 3-mile hike one-way to the lighthouse or you can take Flyer's Boat Rental in Provincetown and be dropped off at the end of the sandy spit by the lighthouse during the summer months. Be wary of tides coming in.
Latitude: 42° 01' 59" N
Longitude: 70° 10' 07" W
Historic Stories:
Long Point lighthouse was established in 1826 to guide the increasing fishing and whaling traffic into Provincetown Harbor. Provincetown still has the largest fishing fleet on Cape Cod.
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During its popularity in the mid 1800’s Long Point lighthouse had a schoolhouse with up to 60 pupils and a sea salt industry using windmills to pump the seawater into huge storage vats. |
Early Long Point Light |
During the Civil War, with sightings of Confederate Warships in the vicinity, two small forts were erected near the lighthouse. Soldiers were never engaged in any battle which prompted the locals to call one Fort Useless and the other Fort Harmless. No shots were fired during the war.
A true story of dedication of one of the Keeper’s involves Keeper Thomas Chase, who, during a thick fog in 1933 found the mechanism that rang the lighthouse’s fog bell had broken down, rang the bell manually with his hands for over nine hours straight to guide any vessels through the thick fog.
Places to Visit Nearby:
| To visit Long Point Lighthouse by foot, you need to make a strenuous, nearly 3-mile walk to the lighthouse. |  |
This hike starts from First Landing Pilgrim Park, or you can take a shuttle or paddle a kayak to Long Point lighthouse. Flyer’s Boat Yard rents kayaks and also provides shuttle service to Long Point lighthouse.
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If you enjoy hiking, during low tide, you can hike the sands from Wood Island lighthouse to Long Point lighthouse which is an additional 1 1/2 miles. |
The round trip to hike to both lighthouses and back to the First Landing Park is about 4 hours.
To reach Wood End lighthouse nearby, you can walk the half-mile long breakwater at First Landing Pilgrim Park, and then hike another three quarters of a mile through sand to Wood End lighthouse. |
Wood End Lighthouse |
The Provincetown Ferry out of Boston and Captain John Boats Ferry from Plymouth to Provincetown pass close to Long Point Lighthouse.
The Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown has the nation’s tallest granite structure at 252 feet with the nearby Provincetown Museum to visit. Provincetown is also the oldest continuous art colony in the country.
The 33 miles of breathtaking beaches around Provincetown offer plenty of relaxation for tourists to the city. The Cape Cod National Seashore is breathtaking and offers plenty of hiking and biking trails.
Directions:
- Take Route 6 into Provincetown,
- The light can be seen from Macmillan’s Wharf.
- To walk to the light during low tide, at the end of Commercial Street visitors will find the Pilgrim’s Landing area.
- From there, take the half-mile walk along the breakwater and then walk about a 3/4 mile in soft sand past Wood Island Lighthouse.
- From Wood Island Lighthouse to Long Point Lighthouse it is an additional 1 1/2 miles. The round trip to hike out to Lojng Point Light and back to the First Landing Park is about 4 hours.
- Keep in mind to make sure the walk is during low tide, as the higher tide may involve walking in seawater.
- There are an assortment of boat cruises and ferries to Provincetown that pass by the lighthouse.
Contact Info:
American Lighthouse Foundation
Cape Cod Chapter
P.O. Box 570
Truro, MA 02652
Phone: (508) 487-9930
(855) 722-3959
Local Boat Tours and Ferries For Visitors
Boat cruises and ferries mentioned below may offer many types of cruises. Some will pass by Long Point lighthouse from a distance as part of charters, narrated wildlife and historic tours, ferrying passengers, whale watching, fishing tours and other types of excursion coming into and going out of Provincetown Harbor.
Captain John's Fast FerryYou can view Wood End lighthouse from the ferry as it enters Macmillan Wharf in Provincetown.
77 Water St.,
Plymouth, Massachusetts 02360
Phone: (508) 927-5587
Email: info@captjohn.com
Flyer's Boat Yard
Rents kayaks, has sunset cruises, and also provides shuttle service to Long Point lighthouse.
131A Commercial Street
Box 561
Provincetown, Mass. 02657
Phone: (508) 487-0898
Bay State Cruise Company
Ferries from Boston to Provincetown
200 Seaport Blvd.
Suite 50
Boston, Mass. 02210
Phone: (617) 748-1428
Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown Whale Watch
Whale watch cruises may pass the lighthouse.
307 Commercial Street #1
Provincetown, MA 02657
Phone: (800) 826-9300 or (508) 240-3636
Schooner Bay Lady II
Sailing excursions from Provincetown Harbor to Cape Cod Bay may pass by the Lighthouses
20 Berry Lane
Provincetown, Mass. 02657
(508) 487-9308
info@sailcapecod.com
Books to Explore
To order a signed paperback copy: Available also from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these eleven mighty ships. Many of these events occurred while sailing around the dangerous shoals of Cape Cod and the islands during stormy weather. |
Explore my book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Providing special stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours you can explore. In the book you'll find local stories from all lighthouses in the Cape Cod region, lighthouse and sailing tours, whale watching, and local attractions. Look inside! |
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