Highland Lighthouse
The Highland Lighthouse was built in 1857 on a site that had been active as a light station since 1797.
Guide Sections
Use Highland Lighthouse's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Highland Lighthouse Details
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Low
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The Highland Lighthouse -- commonly known as the Cape Cod Light -- was built in 1857 on a site that had been active as a light station since 1797. The original wooden lighthouse built here under orders of President George Washington was the first on Cape Cod, and the Highland Lighthouse is still active and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. Erosion forced a move back from the original site in 1996, and the current site is actually on the grounds of the Highland Golf Course. The lighthouse property is open year-round, and the building is open for tours daily from May to October, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There is a fee to enter the museum and to climb the tower, and it's well worth a few dollars for the rare opportunity to scale the 69 steps to the top of the 66-foot tall lighthouse, which offers unobstructed views of the Atlantic.
