One of the attractions of Massachusetts destinations of Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard is their rich array of lighthouses. These architectural feats pepper the shores, where most continue to warn passing ships of the dangers of landfall. Arthur P. Richmond, a well-known photographer of the Cape and Islands, has gathered forty views of their lighthouses, including some views of some interiors and at various seasons. Active lights and inactive lights are presented as beautiful color postcards. Perforated, they can be detached and sent to friends (at 40 cents apiece they are a good bargain), framed and hung on your wall, or kept intact as a souvenir of your summer vacation. This is also the perfect gift for the lighthouse enthusiast or visitor to the New England shore.

For centuries, heroic men and women have guarded the treacherous yet beloved Cape Cod coastlines. From Provincetown to Chatham, Sandwich to Cuttyhunk, and many towns in between, residents have relied on the Atlantic for employment and nourishment. But Cape Cod has always been plagued with a shifting coastline that consistently defies mariners' efforts to pass through Massachusetts waters. In 1792, as shipping increased, mariners petitioned for a sorely needed lighthouse. It was not until 1797 that the first lighthouse on Cape Cod was built at the Highlands in North Truro. More lights and rescue stations would follow as the seas claimed their toll. Many lightship stations were also established from Chatham through Nantucket Sound to mark the constantly changing sandbars submerged offshore--more than in any other spot along the US coastline. Today, as sea levels change and sands continue to shift, some of these historic stations have been lost or moved, while still others are preserved only in such photographs as these.

With more than 360 color photos and maps, this image-rich guide covers all 92 lighthouse locations in the New England states of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. For tourists, historians, lighthouse enthusiasts, and other travelers, here are practical directions and historical tidbits not only on the lighthouses, but on the tours, attractions, and other sites of interest in the coastal communities these beacons have long protected. Enjoy boat cruises, organizations involved in local lighthouse preservation, and plenty of indoor and outdoor attractions and entertainment, including attractions off the beaten path like snack shacks or strange amusements.

Cape Cod Light captures the spirit of America's lighthouse keepers and their families who have kept their lights shining without fail in fair weather.

Icons of the American shoreline, the lighthouses of the Atlantic coast stand in eloquent witness to the nations rich seafaring history. A guide to the longest-standing sentinels of all, those of New England, this engaging illustrated handbook takes you on a fascinating, fact-filled tour of the historic lighthouses of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Written by one of the nations most respected lighthouse historians, this pocket field guide is as informative as it is easy-to-use. You will find historical and architectural details, anecdotes about deadly storms, hauntings, and life as a lightkeeper, and directions to more than 150 lighthouses from Cape Neddick in Maine to Boston Light, Americas first true lighthouse. Here are the towers of limestone, granite, and iron gracing shipwrecking islands aptly called "The Miseries" and "The Graves," as well as the beacons once fueled by whale oil and kerosene still standing at colorfully named points such as Burnt Coat Harbor and Deer Island Thorofare. With eye-catching color photographs, vintage postcards, and historical black and white images, this field guide is the ideal companion for travelers, tourists, and history buffs alike, as they explore the lighthouses of New England.