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 Leslie Fox, MHC, July 1981 1) Newburyport Harbor Front and Rear Ranges. 2) Front Range Light 3) Rear Range Light SKETCH MAP CUSTOM HOUSE MERRIMAC ST MERRIMAC RIVER FRONT S.WATER RANGE AReTanne - LIGHT FEDERAL ST NEWBURYPORT RECORDED BY: Leslie Fox ORGANIZATION: MHC DATE: September 1981 NUMBER 30a HISTORIC NAME: Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light TOWN: Newburyport LOCATION: Merrimac River Coast Guard Static COUNTY: Essex CODE: 009 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: 6th LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Essex Registry of Deeds Book 878, p. 26 VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION: The nomination is confined to the front light itself.
LAT./LONG.: 42°48'7"/70°53'2"'(front range UTM COORDINATE: 19/352/000/4739/800 USGS QUADRANGLE :BOSTON,MA;NH;CT;RI ;ME SCALE: 1:250,000 ACREAGE: under 1 acre OWNER (S): U.S. Coast Guard First Coast Guard District 408 Atlantic Ave. Boston, MA 02210 STATUS: Unmanned/Inactive Site, Active Coast Guard Station PVIIIIVUULO UT MADDACHUSEITS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION SITE DESCRIPTION Lighthouse #30a page 1 The altered Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light was moved from its original Tocation on Bayley's Wharf to its present location within the metes and bounds of the adjacent Merrimac River Coast Guard Station, which was built in 1972. It is only a short distance to the dock and Newburyport Harbor and is still used as a daymark by navigators. Much restoration and preservation has come to this part of Newburyport, and the main shopping district and Customs House are just a few blocks to the west.
Access to the Coast Guard Station is restricted, but it is located on the waterfront parallel to Water Street. LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETIS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Ma jor Elements Lighthouse #F30a page 2 The Front Range Tower, built in 1873, is instrinsically important to the Rear Range Tower, which is located a few hundred feet to the south on Water Street. When the tower was situated on the commercial Bayley's Wharf prior to the late 1960's, the two range lights were of great value to mariners enter ing the harbor, helping them to avoid the dangerous reef, Goose Rocks. Currently, the tower sits on the northwest corner of the station and is used only for storage although it appears to be well tended. The new Coast Guard Station and Boathouse are not discussed as they are peripheral to the theme of this nomination.
Tower: The foundation of the range light is of cement, and was constructed when the tower was moved to its present location in 1964. Exterior: The frame is made of steel and wood which are covered by painted white shingles on the upper half. The cylindrical 35' high frame is constructed of steel plate lined with brick to a thickness of 1' - the steel nofrane and brick component comprises the lower 15' of the tower. The upper 20' consists of a hexagonal wooden frame structure covered by shingles. Door: Entry is gained through a curved steel door 19" above the ground; its measurements are 30" x 73". sYindal az locatedon teemorth adredrrinao iror ede ra and is a single pane. Balcony: Ten iron brackets suppport the exterior balcony. The balcony itself is 20" wide with an apron of 6" , and the iron railing is 3'high. The distance between railings is 45" with a curved brace of 6".
Roof: The roof was raised several feet to its present height sometime before T957. It served as an interesting and unique example because the original roof and lantern room are intact. In fact, only two iron segments of the old roof were dismantled; these rest to one side and were removed to allow access to the new lens room within. Interior: An iron spiral staircase leads to the first level, and an upright Tadder Teads to the second - the lens rooms. The interior walls are brick, painted gray. The staircase has been painted red and has twelve risers, excluding two brick steps from the entrance down to the tower's brick floor. Lamp Room: The first landing is composed of five triangular iron segments fitted together, and it was probably the old lens room. In the walls facing north there are spaces for the three panes of glass that originally allowed mar iners to see the light.
Windows: The lower, existing window frame is 3" wide. The window on this Tevel, the old lens room, now covers the window just described. The newer window has actually been built out 1' from the original frame thus making the balcony considerable smaller. The old lantern windows had contained 35.5" x 26.5" panes. The original curved 31" x 18 1/4" iron half door leads to the balcony from LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse #30a page 3 this level too. A wooden ladder extends from the second landing to the addition, which is situated atop the old roof. Roof: The roof was constructed in segments of iron. Each segment was 4' Tong. Lens Room: Another wooden ladder leads to the second lens room. The eight sided wood frame roof shows evidence of repair and two sections of the wood roof have been completely replaced, but there is no apparent water damage.
The second roof was built and raised from its original level when the light was discontinued as a range light, and commenced use as a channel light. LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse #30a page 4 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY 1873: Robert Bayley, who owned Bayley's Wharf, and operated a lucrative business there, sold two parcels of land to the U.S. Government to erect the range light. Both were erected the same year. 1933: The Front Range Light was gray with a brown base. Its candlepower was decreased from 2000 to 69- and the illuminant changed from coal to electric incandescent (300mm). 1952: Front Range still on Bayley's Wharft, though now unattended. 1957: First photograph showing new roof. 1961: Proposal by Coast Guard to sell the properties on which the range lights were located.
1964: Photographs showing what appears to be the removal of the range from Bayley's Wharf to Coast Guard property. 1972: New Coast Guard Station built. LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Lighthouse 1F30a page 5 LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE The Newburyport Harbor Range Lights possess integrity of location, design, materials and workmanship as well as significant associations with the development of aids to navigation in Massachusetts. Constructed in 1873, they are significant as one of the only three sets of range lights in Massachusetts and as part of an important historic waterfront. Although the front light has been moved and altered somewhat, this pair remains as the best example of a range light in Massachusetts.
The lights meet criteria A & C ofthe NRHP on the state level as well as survey criteria la, 4b, #30a LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROUP NOMINATION Newburyport Harbor Bayky's Whart 4 3 WATER STREET Nawburyporttarbor Front Range Light 1. Front Range 2. Rear Range 3. MerrimacCoast Buard Station 4. Boathouse/Carage 5. Approx. Former site of Front hange "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 NPSuse only received MAY 4 1987 date antered Page 274 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group Name State Lighthouses of Massachusetts TR MASSACHUSETTS Nomination/Type of Review 11. Minot's Ledge Light 12. Nauset Beach Light p3. Ned Point Light f4.
Newburyport Harbor Light antered in tae Istomn1 Boglster traeper Date/Signature AilamBganklor, Attest 1% I/memed Bogdster fkeeper Aelrußogan 6164 Attest aatsred in tlae Matiomel Register fakeeper deloue Bagan apoto Attest intered in tie Mationel Racdater JKeeper AuluresByen6/1518, Attest :p5. Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light Hupered Mationel Register {6. Nobska Point Light Stationantered im Matiomnl Registax 17. Race Point Light Station 48. Sankaty Head Light 19. Scituate Light 20. Straightsmouth Island Light mana Soss S*eX Attest fheeper TiueBgen 6/078. Attest futeper Deluer Byenaotesh, Attest Matered 12 Pacon toctotor Mreper emByuofet. Attest aatorad Me tlioaei Rogigtex fKeeper DelereByen 6/0.
Attest fheeper DelrusByen 6/5/37 Attest 8700 1486 WASO Form - 177 ("R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Newburyport Harbor Front Range Light (Lighthouses of Massachusetts TR) Essex County MASSACHUSETTS X resubmission nomination by person or local government owner objection appeal Substantive Review: sample Reviewer's comments: -request Working No.. H/2882 Fed. Reg. Date: 2/2/88 Date Due: - 6/18/87 Action: LACCEPT 6-15-87 Fatered in tae - RETURN SeyLsvex REJECT Federal Agency: - USCG-DOT Lappeal LNR decision 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 L 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 - moved date. 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance-Check and justify below Specific dates Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Builder/Architect 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 title date 13. Other L Maps - Photographs L 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 Newbure ret, tar bor #31 Lightherses of May TR Photo #1 oF3 Ne Newburyport Harbor ange lights #31 Lgtthurses ef Ma., TR Photo H2OF3 Pront Neu TREET MAP SCALE 17 /'= 40 WAY LIGHTHOUSES O MASSACHUSETTS THEMATIC GROA P NOMINATION 1 STREET DENT ST. WATER ST. 55 10 HA! 6/ SulliVAN 4 DAvis /r. M.A.
GRECo 6 5576 GRECO * MosTow Dimaggio 3724 30a 225 LIGHTHOUSE 8 4974 NB A SSoC. 3130 TER #'5 30ac. 6 BRAN R.R. 3 4350 8700 5900 5050 SCAKE: 1:40 NEWBURYPORT CITY -NEWBURYPORT Hharber Frut Rase Ligtt HARBOR FRONT LIGHT - NENBURYPORT, MA 20 19 18 10 Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000282