Towers Reference Guide

Preserved Towers Along the Northern Coast

A concise orientation to the coastal records below.

This page gathers notable lighthouse sites that still stand, remain documented through archival sources, or continue to shape the northern coastline’s historical memory for researchers, students, and visitors.

  • Preserved
  • Coastal
  • Historic

Preserved Lighthouse Reference

Six notable towers along the northern coast

A quick archival guide for readers tracing surviving lights, keeper routes, and working shoreline landmarks. Each entry offers a location cue and a brief historical note for easy comparison.

  • Weathered white lighthouse with black lantern room on a rocky headland under a pale overcast sky

    Northwatch Point Light

    Outer Keld Inlet

    First lit in the late 1870s, this station guided timber sloops through fog banks where the inlet narrows abruptly. Keeper logs record winter signal relays to nearby fishing coves.

  • Short stone lighthouse tower beside sea grass cliffs and dark northern water

    Bracken Head Beacon

    West Fjord Narrows

    Its compact stone form replaced a timber post light, becoming a key turning marker for mail boats by the early twentieth century.

  • Tall red-and-cream striped lighthouse rising above a low harbor with moored wooden boats

    Gullmere Tower Light

    East Channel Anchorage

    Known for its striped daymark, Gullmere helped captains line up the deeper channel during shifting sand years.

  • Granite lighthouse with attached keeper house on a windswept shoreline with low clouds

    Stonewake Lantern

    Greycap Shoal Approach

    Expanded after a series of grounding incidents, its lantern room was rebuilt with heavier glazing for gale seasons.

  • White cylindrical lighthouse near a narrow river mouth with dark evergreen hills behind

    Alder Reach Light

    Rivermouth Bar

    A trusted reference for coasters entering the estuary, later paired with a fog bell post still recorded on local charts.

  • Slim black lighthouse on icy cliff edge above rolling northern sea spray

    Frosthaven Cliff Light

    North Rim Headlands

    Perched high for long-range visibility, Frosthaven served as the coast's outer warning light before radio navigation became common.

Explore the Towers Read Keeper Stories See map overview

Reference Notes

Questions about the preserved towers guide

Brief answers to common reading notes so you can move confidently between the map, archive material, and tower entries.

What counts as a preserved lighthouse tower?
We use preserved for towers that still physically stand in recognizable form, whether fully restored or stabilized with partial historic fabric.
Is every listed tower open to visitors?
No. Some towers can be entered seasonally, some are view-only from public ground, and others are visible only at a distance due to safety or conservation limits.
How are lighthouse locations represented on the guide map?
Points indicate approximate heritage sites for orientation and comparison. They are not marine navigation coordinates and should not be used for route planning.
How is archive material chosen for each tower entry?
Selection favors dated photographs, keeper logs, and local records that document structural change, daily operation, or community memory with clear source context.
Why do some tower names or dates differ across sources?
Historical records were produced by different authorities over long periods, so spellings, commissioning dates, or rebuild years can vary; entries note the most supported version.