Highland Light Station
Also known as: Cape Cod Light
Why it's listed
Perched on the eroding clay cliffs of North Truro, Highland Light Station is a lighthouse complex on the Atlantic side of Cape Cod. The present 66-foot cylindrical brick tower, its walkway, the shingled Queen Anne keeper's house and a small generator shed all date from 1857. The site goes back further: a lighthouse built here in 1797 was the first on Cape Cod, erected after local residents and Boston maritime groups pointed to the many shipwrecks along this shore. The tower has walls 4.5 feet thick at the base, an iron staircase, elaborate open-work iron steps and a lantern room with large glass panes. Over the years the light moved from whale oil lamps to a Fresnel lens and later to electric drum lamps. The station was listed for its good integrity, its place in the story of navigation aids in Massachusetts, its status as the first Cape Cod light site, and its fine ironwork. Erosion has already claimed the original oil house and watchtower.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the station is one of the better preserved mid-nineteenth-century light complexes in Massachusetts, with its tower, walkway, keeper's house and generator shed intact. It is also significant as the site of the first lighthouse on Cape Cod and for features such as its elaborate wrought iron work. It is tied to the development of aids to navigation in the state.
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 87001463, listed June 15, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Highland Light Rd., Truro |
|---|---|
| County | Barnstable County |
| Listed | June 15, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001463 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Keeper's house described as Queen Anne style; the 2011 form lists the classification as No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Active aid to navigation in Coast Guard use in the 1980s, with the dwellings used as Coast Guard housing; the 2011 form lists current functions including a museum and water-related transportation. Cliff erosion has already claimed the original oil house and watchtower. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.04680, -70.06883 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 87001463.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5758878
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.