A Nostalgic Look at U.S. Lights from 1850 to 1939 This unique pictorial chronicle brings to life nearly a century of American lighthouse history with hundreds of archival photographs, many of them never before published. It tells the often dramatic story of the U.S. Lighthouse Service from approximately 1850 until 1939, an era that could be considered the Golden Age of American lights. In 1850 the U.S. government launched a modernization drive that eventually introduced the Fresnel lenses, now considered a classic, to nearly every light station in America. About that same time the giant brick towers and sturdy, cast-iron cylinders or open-water spark-plug, towers that we associate with the lighthouse Golden Age began to be built. The majority of America's most beautiful and beloved lighthouse date from this period. Readers are familiar with their favorite lighthouses as they look today but not as they appeared 50, 100, or even 150 years ago. The Golden Age of American Lighthouses is filled with vintage black-and-white views of classic towers such as those at Boston Harbor, Cape Hatteras, St. Augustine, Point Loma near San Diego, and Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay. It also focuses on the work life and day-to-day existence of lighthouse keepers and their families. Many portraits of old-time keepers and key lighthouse personalities are also included. Ask to have Tim Harrison autograph it! Put a message in comments, please sign. The book is soft cover with 176 pages and lots of black and white photos.

Shop More: Books >