Beacon, The
Why it's listed
Known as The Beacon, this shingled wooden lighthouse tower in Eastham, Massachusetts, was built in 1892 as one of three towers called the Three Sisters of Nauset. The cylindrical two-story tower has diagonal lapstrake construction, painted white shingles, and nine Italianate brackets under its balcony. A one-story cottage was attached in 1923, when the tower was moved to the parking lot at Nauset Beach. The three wooden towers replaced a trio of brick towers from 1838 and were designed to be portable because the Nauset bluffs shift. The group is described as the only example of a triple light, an early, simple way to distinguish lights that stood close together. Later, a revolving mechanism allowed all three signals to be combined in one tower. The National Park Service acquired the property in 1975 for Cape Cod National Seashore. Its lantern house is missing, and it awaits relocation and restoration.
Significance in brief: The tower was built in 1892 as one of three portable wooden towers that replaced an 1838 trio of brick towers, designed to be movable because the Nauset bluffs shift. It is described as part of the only example of a triple light, an early, simple technological way to tell neighboring lights apart. It retains integrity of materials and workmanship and is tied to the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87001527, listed June 15, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Nauset Beach, Eastham |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | June 15, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001527 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Italianate wooden brackets support the balcony; no overall style is stated. |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as inactive and unmanned. The lantern house has been removed. The National Park Service plans to relocate and restore it, but those plans are not finalized. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.84519, -69.95103 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87001527.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7797819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.