East Chop Light
Why it's listed
East Chop Light is a cast iron lighthouse tower completed in 1876 on the highest bluff of East Chop, also called Telegraph Hill, at the entrance to Vineyard Haven Harbor in Oak Bluffs. It is a standard four-drum Italianate design painted brown, rising 79 feet above the water, with brick walls laid in basketweave inside, a ten-sided lens room and an ornate balcony with flame-topped balusters. The site was used in 1828 for a semaphore system that reported sightings off Martha's Vineyard to ship owners in Boston. A wooden tower built in 1869 burned, a replacement followed in 1872, and the federal government bought the property in 1875. The keeper's dwelling and other outbuildings have been demolished, so the nomination covers only the tower. It was recognized for its intact design and materials and its role in the development of navigation aids in Massachusetts, meeting criteria A and C at the state level. The light remains unmanned and active.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the tower retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship. It is associated with the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts. It stands on the site of an 1828 light that was part of a semaphore system linking Cape Cod and the Islands to Boston. It is rated significant at the state level under criteria A and C.
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 87001480, listed June 15, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Lighthouse Rd., Oak Bluffs |
|---|---|
| County | Dukes County |
| Listed | June 15, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001480 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Italianate cast iron tower (standard four-drum design) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unmanned and active; the keeper's house and other ancillary buildings no longer exist. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.46640, -70.57055 (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.
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 87001480.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5328088
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.