Straightsmouth Island Light
Why it's listed
Straightsmouth Island, southeast of the entrance to Rockport Harbor, holds a lighthouse complex dating from 1835. A white brick tower with an octagonal cast iron lens room and attached gabled entry sits on a base of granite blocks. Nearby are a brick oil house, two small outbuildings, and a one-and-a-half-story wood frame keeper's house with a cross-gabled plan, Gothic window hoods and elaborate porch ornament. A line of granite posts marks the covered walkway that once linked house and tower. The federal government bought the land in 1834, and the light was later automated and converted to solar power in 1985. The Coast Guard kept the tower while the island became a Massachusetts Audubon sanctuary. The complex was listed as an early example of a lighthouse station that preserves many distinctive original elements, including the Gothic Revival keeper's house and walkway piers, and for its link to the growth of navigation aids in Massachusetts.
Significance in brief: The complex is argued to retain integrity of location, design, setting, materials and workmanship and to be linked with the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts. It is an early 1830s lighthouse complex preserving unusual elements such as the Gothic Revival trim of the keeper's house and the granite piers of the original walkway. It meets criteria A and C at the state level.
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 87001487, listed June 15, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Straightsmouth Island, Rockport |
|---|---|
| County | Essex County |
| Listed | June 15, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001487 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival keeper's house with Italianate trim |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture, Maritime History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Tower is unmanned and active, converted to solar power in 1985; keeper's house interior is not accessible with windows boarded; outbuildings are in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 42.65861, -70.58560 (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 87001487.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7621171
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.