BlockThe nomination, in full
Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.
LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION LIGHTHOUSE INFORMATION FORM MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL COMMISSION 80 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116 PHOTOGRAPH KEY Photo-Jack Clarke - MHC - 1980 1) Light & Keeper's House SKETCH MAP Wood's Hole Rdh. VINEYARD SOUND Nobska Point Nobske Light hoose N RECORDED BY: N. Salzman/J. Clarke ORGANIZATION: MHC/Cape Cod Planning DATE: July 24, 1981 NUMBER 31 HISTORIC NAME: Nobska Point Light Station TOWN: Falmouth LOCATION: On Nobska Road east of harbor entrance. COUNTY: Barnstable CODE: 001 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 10th LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Barnstable County Courthouse (Book 3, p. 86) VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: See attached assessor's map. LAT./LONG.: 41 30'56'N 70°39'20'W UTM COORDINATE: 19/361/700/4597/200 USGS QUADRANGLE: Prov. RI., Mass., Conn.
SCALE:1:250,000 ACREAGE: 2.11 acres OWNER (S) : First Coast Guard District 408 Atlantic Avenue Boston, MA 02210 STATUS: Urmanned/Active LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse #31 page 1 SITE DESCIPTION The Nobska Point Light Station complex is a major navigational aid located at the entrance to Woods Hole Harbor (Falmouth) between Buzzard's Bay and Vineyard Sound; it covers Hedge Fence and L'Hommedieu Shoal. Sited high on a rocky promentory east of the entrance to Wood's Hole, it is bare of vegetation and thus can be seen clearly from all directions. It represents a typical picturesque and intact site.
LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse #31 page 2 Ma jor ELEMENTS DESCRIPTION Extant elements include the light tower with entry porch (1876), two keeper's dwell ings (1876, 1900) connected by a porch, a brick oil house (1876), paint lockers (1876), garage (1931), and radio beacon building (1937). Tower EXTERIOR: A white cylindrical tower consisting of four "rings" of iron panels, surmounted by a standard cast iron lantern. The tower is 40' high and sits 47' above the water. Three typical Italianate windows are located at Levels 1,2,3; Level 4 shows four portholes. The tower is sealed on a concrete base and has a standard copper lightning rod ground strap bolted onto the iron drum, buried and then returning through a ceramic pipe.
Entry porch: one story vinyl clad wood frame room measur ing 72" x 78" with red shingle roof; no windows; cement floor; six panel door; doorway into tower is 11 1/2" thick; walls and ceil ing sheathed in 2 1/2"tongue and groove wainscotting, painted white. INTERIOR: Interior is of red sandblasted brick. Stair is standard South Shore iron with simple tubular construction; curves along wall 32 steps to landing. Windows: at level 2,3 identical size 30" x 49" outside frame, 24 x 46" (interior or measurements) with 2/2 sash. The sills decrease in depth as the outer walls slope: Level 1: 8 1/2"; L2: 5"; L3:3"; four portholes at L4 (lamp room). Lamp Room: sheathed in vertical tongue and groove wainscotting. The framing is wood; 2 iron panels separate the stairwell from the At the end of this curving inner wall is a 3 shelf cupboard with original door.
The ladder is standard curved type with 7 treads (cf. Chatham, #11). Lens Rooms: is entered through a new plywood trapezoidal trap door with two original iron straps terminated with a decorative flat finial. A fine vertical brass grab assists entry into the upper lens room. The ten sided room is sheathed in vertical wood wainscotting, 3 1/2" wide. The deck is also wooden. A series of five ventilator openings set into the wall are covered by the knob. The vent hous ing is 8 1/1" in diameter. Windows are standard size, 26 1/2" x 351/2"; three are blackened to shield the light from landward houses. A red pane set in a frame attached to one window marks Hedge Fence and L'Hommedieu Shoal. Ba1 con y: standard black painted iron; circular with a 51" diameter from lens room to the outer edge.
Originally Italianate in style, the elaborate posts and single rail have been replaced by a post with pointed top and two simple bars. The outsie wall conta ins a typical narrow rectangular-rimmed vent outlet, with a 6 1/2" open ing. Iron astragals hold the glass in place. Roof: is in ten sections. It is surmounted by an intact round ball resting on a molded base. The lighting rod protrudes from the LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse #F31 page 3 KEEPER' DWELLING: 1876 - 1 1/2 story wood frame building, (31" x 25" conta ining 1650 sq. ft.) with a fieldstone foundation with full basement; land slopes away on north side to provide entrance to basement; presently enclosed by red asphalt roof and sheathed in white vinyl siding. L shaped gables, two chimneys, three single dormers on east (rear).
The original front elevation was to the south facing Martha's Vineyard. Level 1 now has an attached covered porch connecting with the second house. Level 2 has an original triple window with lower sidelights and molded Gothic Revival tab hood. The present front (west) elevation has an enclosed front porch, now part of the connecting porch. Alongside the entry is the projecting fron wing, its gable ridge lower than the main N-S roof. At level 1 are two 6/6 windows. The north side elevation contains a narrow attic window (unusual), two 6/6 at level 2 and two 6/6 directly beneath at Level 1. A third 6/6 window on level 1 is within the projecting front gable wing. The east facade conta ins three cellar windows, five at Level 1 and three single dormers at Level 2. All vergeboard and tab window moldings have been removed on the east facade.
1900- 1 1/2 story wood frame, 27' x 28' conta ining c. 1200 sq. ft; on site of former wood storage house; T-shaped gables, one Ma in facade faces west with one 6/6 window at level 2, a three-sided bay at level 1 and a steel bulkhead door directly beneath; a one story, one bay extension, with 6/6 window attached to the covered porch of 1876 house, on left; on right of bay is 6/6 window, now part of enclosed entry porch. South facade conta ins one window 6/6 each at Levels 1 and 2, with celTar window beneath; to left in angle formed by wings is an enclosed porch two bays wide with original main entrance; molded tab hood has been recently r emov ed. East, rear facade contains two 2/2 windows plus a smaller one on the right at level 1; level 2 contains a large gable. As a typica l of other Keeper's Houses (cf. West Chop, #40) of the per iod; north side is connected to 1876 house at level 1.
Window in gable at Tevel 2. OIL HOUSE: paint locker, 10' x 12', brick gable roof with gable ends N-S. 2vindems uest srd, racing tous, con eains wthto and door, chimney on west gab le. LIGHT CHARACTERISTICS: LIGHT is a classic 4th order Fresnel lens (with a cotten cover). Light characteristics are FIW, 6 sex., Red Sector. 16 mi. Red (263-289*). Horn 2/30 sec. LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS HEMATIO GARONGOLOGICAL HTSTOR Lighthouse #31 page 4 7/7/1828 - Tand purchased for $160 from William and Hannah Lawrence and Andrew and Elizabeth Davis. Light built on top of Keeper's dwelling (80' above the water). 1876 - tower rebuilt in iron with brick lining for $50,000. 1876 - wood frame dwelling, 1 1/2 story, 31' x 35', 1650 sq. feet, built at cost of $9,000. 1876 - brick one story oil house, 22' x 26' (120 square feet) built at a cost of $1,000.
Brick one story paint locker 22' x 26' (120 square feet) built at a cost of ($1,000). 1900 - second keepers house built to south of earlier house on site of wood house. Wood frame 1 1/2 story 27' x 28' (c. 120 sq. feet) built for $6000. 1931 - garage built. Fog Horn attached (now removed). 1937 - radio beacon building, equipped with beaco, built; connected by two way telephone with the West Chop Light. 1948 - steel skeleton tower 125' for radio beacon ($2000) and fog horn structure ($1000), built. 1985 - light was automated and unmanned; living quarters now used for Woods Hole group commander. LIGT! LITS THEMANIC GROUP NUMINMON Lighthouse ##31 page 5 Level of Significance Nobska Point Light posseses integrity of location, desigh, setting, mater ials and workmanship as well as significant associations with the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts.
Dating mainly from 1876, it is an excellent example of lighthouse complex including the cast iron tower, two keeper's houses, an oil house and a paint locker as early elements. It is important for its scenic qualities, sited on a bluff overlook ing Vineyard Sound, and for its strategic location at the junction of Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds with Buzzard's Bay. The complex meets criteria A & C of the NRHP on the state level as well as survey criteria 2a, 2c, 3a, 3b. "NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 For NPS use anly received MAY 4 98T date antered Page 274 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Lighthouses of Massachusetts TR MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review f1. Minot's Ledge Light 12.
Nauset Beach Light .3. Ned Point Light 14. Newburyport Harbor Light 'p5. Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light Jabursd 1% Mational Register {6. Nobska Point Light Stationiatered Matione1 . Registar 17. Race Point Light Station Date/Signature atered in the Intomn1 Boglster Keeper AlamBganoo, Attest Ipomet Bogister fkeeper Delmubogan e/5t Attest aatsred in tlae Mationel Register fikeeper Seloue ßajan afo7oi Attest intered in tie Mstiome] hadatorfKeeper AcloresByen6/1518, Attest Okeeper AelruBgu6157 Attest fheeper ZhebuByeu 6/079. Attest frkeeper DeluuByend6lest " 292 {8. Sankaty Head Light p9. Scituate Light Jatoirad Mabnaei Rogister fheeper AeluseByen 6/2 Attest 20.
Straightsmouth Island Lightwwmw freeper DelrusByen 6/5/97 Attest 87001483 WASO Form - 177 ('R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Nobska Point Light Station (Lighthouses of Massachusetts TR) Barnstable County MASSACHUSETTS Working No. 4/28/2p Wed. ie.Vate: 2/2/88 Date Due: _ Peed la 4/15/81 Action: resubmission ~ÁCCEPT 6-/5-87 teod Dedoer - RETURN nomination by person or local government REJECT owner objection appeal Federal Agency: _ _USCG -DOT Substantive Review: sample -request appeal LJ NR decision Reviewer's comments: Recom./Criteria Reviewer - Discipline _ Date - see continuation sheet Nomination returned for: _ technical corrections cited below _substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition 4.
Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? yes no 7. Description Condition J excellent good fair deteriorated ruins unexposed Check one -unaltered altered Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance summary paragraph completeness clarity alterations/integrity dates boundary selection Status Accessible Present Use Check one -original site I moved date- 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) summary paragraph completeness clarity applicable criteria justification of areas checked relating significance to the resource context relationship of integrity to significance justification of exception other 9. Major Bibliographical References 10.
Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name_ UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature date title 13. Other Maps Photographs Other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to Signed.. - Date _ Phone: - GPO 918-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet COAST GUARD NOBSKA POINT LIGHT STATION #11. Nobska PoinT Ligh Nobska Rb. FalmouTa, nA 10/80 Jack Clanke CAPE COD PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Ist DISTRICT COURT HOUSE BARNSTABLE, MASS. 02630 NOBSKA POINT LIGt FALMOUTH, MA. # PHOTO #I OF NOMMMWON AONUOSUNMHL WYOSISOAL0I?
2 LIGHTHOUSES OE MASSAG ABSETTS THEMÄTIC GROCIGROUP NOMINATION B L.C No 9333 30.2A 1.C Ne 12650 1 OBSKA LC NO 126.50 47A 1.1A 260A 252 46 1. 9 A NOBSKA 3./A 20400 - POND 1.6 A 17. 80242 up 2/250 Pond 16 86080 #11. NOBSKA POINT LIGHTHOUSE Falmouth Assessor's map Town Hall, p. 51. Scale: 200' to 1". Most recent map. from 1.93 A 46 L.C. N 6494 1.89 A 47 r 15 POSAG 3 1.76 A 39760 83/40 10 1.74 A 208A 1 ,97A SUA Uruted States of Americ POIN 2104 FALMOUTH TOWN NOBS 12800 11900 8000 IPOND ATA 1 35, Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000282