|
The earliest lighthouses were simply bonfires built on hillsides to guide ships.
The first light served the old world city of Alexandria in 285 B.C. The first American light came
to life in 1716 at Boston Harbor.
This site explores the history, legends, lore and workings of lighthouses
along American shorelines.
- Discover how a special lens, called a "Fresnel"
(pronounced: Fruh-nell) increases the power of a light and focuses
it in one direction.
- Read fascinating stories about individual lighthouses and how
a 729 foot-long ship known as the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in just
ten seconds.
- View the dozens of pictures of lighthouses and the beautiful
places where they stand and serve as symbols of an era whose time
is still with us.
- Explore the many links to lighthouse web sites around America
and the world to learn more about these sentinels that have captured
the hearts and minds of young and old alike.
Legendary Lighthouses II
|