{"nrhp_refnum":"87001528","name":"Borden Flats Light Station","other_names":[],"category":"structure","location":{"address":"Taunton River","address_restricted":false,"city":"Fall River","county":"Bristol County","state":"MA","lat":41.70508310200006,"lon":-71.17727876699996,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1987-06-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Engineering","Transportation","Architecture","Maritime History"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A caisson-type lighthouse built in 1881 on a reef at the mouth of the Taunton River in Fall River, Massachusetts, beneath the Braga Bridge. It has a cast iron cylindrical shell set in cement.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the station retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship, and is tied to the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts. It is described as one of the earliest and best maintained caisson-type light stations in the state, with original features and Italianate design elements intact. It also remains an active aid that helps vessels avoid the reef.","narrative":"Borden Flats Light Station is a lighthouse built in 1881 on a reef in the Taunton River at Fall River, Massachusetts, at a cost of $24,000. Its cast iron cylindrical caisson is sunk into the reef and secured by about 15 feet of cement. The tower holds a half basement, a first floor with a steel ceiling, upper floors probably used as keeper's quarters, a lamp room and a ten-sided lens room with a balcony. The name comes from the Borden family, who owned textile mills along the river. The Braga Bridge passes almost directly overhead, so the light is seen mainly by mariners. The tower was electrified in 1957, automated in 1963 and fitted with a plastic lens in 1977. It is valued as one of the earliest and best maintained caisson lights in Massachusetts, with many original features and Italianate elements preserved, and it remains an active aid warning vessels away from the reef.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Italianate design elements; caisson-type light station","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Active, automated and unmanned light operated by the U.S. Coast Guard; fully automated in 1963.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:00.41903-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/87/7896/63789687/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/87001528.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87001528/eeeb0316d9-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87001528/eeeb0316d9-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borden_Flats_Light.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Marcbela (Marc N. Belanger)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borden_Flats_Light.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63789687","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borden_Flats_Light","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4944488"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/bristol-county/borden-flats-light-station-87001528/"}