The Field Guide to Lighthouses of the New England Coast

Book excerpt: Icons of the American shoreline, the lighthouses of the Atlantic coast stand in eloquent witness to the nations rich seafaring history. A guide to the longest-standing sentinels of all, those of New England, this engaging illustrated handbook takes you on a fascinating, fact-filled tour of the historic lighthouses of Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Written by one of the nations most respected lighthouse historians, this pocket field guide is as informative as it is easy-to-use. You will find historical and architectural details, anecdotes about deadly storms, hauntings, and life as a lightkeeper, and directions to more than 150 lighthouses from Cape Neddick in Maine to Boston Light, Americas first true lighthouse. Here are the towers of limestone, granite, and iron gracing shipwrecking islands aptly called "The Miseries" and "The Graves," as well as the beacons once fueled by whale oil and kerosene still standing at colorfully named points such as Burnt Coat Harbor and Deer Island Thorofare. With eye-catching color photographs, vintage postcards, and historical black and white images, this field guide is the ideal companion for travelers, tourists, and history buffs alike, as they explore the lighthouses of New England.