1771Two lighthouses were built on Thacher Island.Economy and Industry, Infrastructure, Maritime & Fishing Industry
John Hancock petitioned the General Court to acquire Thacher Island to safeguard shipping interests, including his own, by building lighthouses on the island off of Rockport. He proposed a tax on Boston ship owners to pay for the construction and maintenance of both lighthouses. The original 45-foot tall twin lighthouses stood 90 feet above sea level. They were replaced in 1861 by 124-foot-high stone structures that still stand.
Gloucester Town Records, 1753-1800. Vol. 3, 1800, http://archive.org/details/townrecords17531800 NEW ENGLAND LIGHTHOUSES: A VIRTUAL GUIDE. “Thacher Island Twin Lights History.” http://www.newenglandlighthouses.net/thacher-island-twin-lights-history.html.