National Lighthouse Day: Significance, Facts About The Iconic Structures

Lighthouses aren't just pretty to look at as they also have historic importance. National Lighthouse Day is celebrated to recognize the role of the iconic structures and the need to preserve them.

National Lighthouse Day was first observed on Aug. 7, 1989, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the "Act for the Establishment and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys and Public Piers." The occasion called for lighthouse grounds to be open to the public "when feasible." However, the designation was only for Aug. 7 that year and so was a similar declaration in 2013.

Although National Lighthouse Day has yet to be officially designated in the national calendar, many lighthouse organizations still celebrate the occasion on Aug.7 each year, offering lighthouse tours as well as various activities and programs.

Why Celebrate Lighthouses?

Lighthouses have been around for such a long time, with the very first ones being built even before the time of Christ. Apart from being beautiful structures, even in today's modern world, they still have the important purpose of serving as navigation aids and to help warn ships and boats of potentially dangerous areas.

These interesting structures also stand the test of time, proving to be of cultural importance. That said, many lighthouses are still in dire need to be restored and preserved, so one of the ways people can celebrate the occasion is to visit their local lighthouse and perhaps make a small donation.

On this day, let's have a look at some interesting facts about lighthouses. (Courtesy: National Today, The Lighthouse Foundation, Lighthouse Preservation Society, the United States Lighthouse Society (USLHS) and Kidadl)

1. The first known lighthouse was found in Alexandria, Egypt. Standing at 450 feet high, it was built by Ptolemy I and his son Ptolemy II. It was considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World but it was eventually destroyed by earthquakes and invaders.
2. The U.S. has the most number of lighthouses in the world. Among the states, Michigan has the highest number of lighthouses as it is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes.
3. Before electricity, lighthouses were lit up using coal, gas or wood fires.
4. The first lighthouse in America is the Boston Lighthouse on Little Brewster Island. It was built in 1716.
5. Lighthouses can be built of materials such as wood, rock, brick, concrete or even aluminum, depending on the local environmental conditions at a location.
6. Many lighthouses also have foghorns to help guide ships when it's foggy, while others are equipped with radio signals to transmit Morse code.
7. Lighthouse keeping was among the first U.S. government jobs open to women in the 19th century.
8. The Statue of Liberty was originally a lighthouse that helped guide the ships in New York Harbor from 1886 to 1902. It was also the first U.S. lighthouse to use electricity.
9. The tallest lighthouse in the world is in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, with a height of 133 meters. It is also called the Jeddah Light.
10. Lighthouses were painted in different colors depending on the location so they could stand out against the background. They are also painted in patterns called daymarks to help sailors differentiate one lighthouse from another.
11. The oldest existing lighthouse in the world is the Tower of Hercules in La Coruña in Spain.
12. Although we're used to cylindrical-shaped lighthouses, they come in various shapes, from square to rectangular and even octagonal.
13. In total, it is estimated that there are about 18,600 lighthouses in the world, many of which don't need a lighthouse keeper to take care of them anymore.