National Lighthouse Day 2022: History & How to Celebrate

Lighthouses are amazing structures that are both beautiful and quite practical. On August 7, National Lighthouse Day, we honor the comfort these beautiful, antiquated buildings have provided to travelers over the years. The United States Congress passed a law in 1789 guaranteeing the safety of all lighthouses with federal funding.

If you’ve ever been to a lighthouse, you’ll know what calm and stability they signify to people on land. Lighthouses were once frequently employed to indicate hazardous reefs, shorelines, or harbors, yet lighthouse technology has advanced throughout time. Today, we picture how the beacon of light from a lighthouse gave hope to individuals searching for shore in the middle of choppy seas and gloomy nights.

When Is National Lighthouse Day

On August 7, 2022, National Lighthouse Day will be observed.

National Lighthouse Day History

An act for the “creation and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers” was enacted by the American Congress on August 7, 1789. Congress finally proclaimed August 7 as National Lighthouse Day 200 years later.

#NationalLighthouseDay

A tower, building, or any other sort of structure that is intended to emanate light from a system of lamps and lenses and utilized as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways is referred to as a lighthouse.

A lighthouse has many uses, including identifying perilous shoals, reefs, and coastlines and ensuring safe harbor entry. They also offer aerial navigation. Now brightly lit by electric or oil-fueled lamps, they were once lit by open fire and candles. The quantity of lighthouses is dwindling, nevertheless. Modern electrical navigation systems are replacing them since maintenance is expensive.

Lighthouse Facts

• They may have a different styles based on the setting and objective, but they share common elements.
• At the summit of a lighthouse tower is a glassed-in structure known as the lantern room.
• The Watch Room or Service Room is located below the lantern room.
• There is a free gallery next to the Watch room.
• With the construction of the first Trinity House in Britain in 1609, development accelerated in the 17th century.
• The first lighthouse in North America was constructed in Saint Augustine, Florida. It had been created by Menendez after his arrival in 1586, according to a map from 1791.
• Next, in 1716, Boston Light was constructed on tiny Brewster Island.
• The Sandy Hook Lighthouse in New Jersey is the oldest lighthouse still in operation in the country. This lighthouse, which was constructed in 1764, is still in use.
• The United States possessed the most lighthouses of any country at the turn of the 20th century.
• In 1789, the US Bureau of Lighthouses was established by the 9th Act of the First Congress, bringing federal oversight of lighthouses into effect.
• On July 7, 1939, the United States Coast Guard gained control.
• Lighthouse visits and photography are popular among hobbyists. Additionally, they amass ceramic copies.

How to Celebrate National Lighthouse Day

1. Visit Your Local Lighthouse

On National Lighthouse Day, lighthouses should, if feasible, be accessible to the general public. Today is the perfect day to visit one of these stunning constructions if you live close to a shore.

2. Paint A Lighthouse

Lighthouses are stunning subjects for artistic creations. Give a relative who has a collection of lighthouse postcards your painting or a photo of a lighthouse.

3. Help Preserve A Lighthouse

These historic buildings are the focus of the American Lighthouse Organization’s preservation and protection efforts. If you go to a lighthouse, think about giving a little money to the group that runs it so they can keep allowing people to access it.

Why We Love National Lighthouse Day

1. They’ve Been A Beacon Of Light Even Before Electricity

The original lamp or source of light in a lighthouse was burning coal or even fires. Later, oil-burning lamps were used in lighthouses, and in 1875, electric lamps were introduced.

2. Lighthouses Are Beautiful

Lighthouses are well-liked subjects for photographs because of their cylindrical shape and the beauty of the nearby shore or harbor. It comes as no surprise that seeing a lighthouse perched proudly on the shore of the ocean provides some solace.

3. The Structures Continue To Stand The Test Of Time

Lighthouses are vulnerable to storms, strong winds, and other harsh weather since they are built on cliffs and coasts. However, a lot of them are still powerful and viable. The Boston Lighthouse, erected in 1716 on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, is the country’s oldest operating lighthouse.

National Lighthouse Day FAQS

What Is The Purpose Of A Lighthouse?

Well, lighthouses act as navigational aid and alert ships and boats of hazardous locations, which are generally speaking their two main functions.

What Day Is National Lighthouse Day

August 7th will be National Lighthouse Day.

Are Lighthouses Still Important?

Mariners must have access to physical aids, lighthouses, and buoys in order to safely navigate the hazardous U.S. coastline.

National Lighthouse Day Dates

Date	Day	Year
August 7	Sunday	2022
August 7	Monday	2023
August 7	Wednesday	2024
August 7	Thursday	2025
August 7	Friday	2026

Conclusion

This year, on August 7th, you can celebrate National Lighthouse Day as a special day by recalling the history and importance of lighthouses.

The days when their signals could only be seen from afar are long gone but keeping them lit for safe passage is still essential. Happy National Lighthouse Day.

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