Point Gammon Lighthouse
West Yarmouth, Massachusetts
Built in 1816
Location:
At Great Island on the eastern entrance to Hyannis Harbor. Privately Owned.
Latitude: 42° 36' 35" N
Longitude: 70° 15' 58" W
Historic Stories:
Point Gammon’s construction was unique compared to many New England lighthouses in regards to its stone structure. It was used to warn mariners of a large group of menacing rocks known as the Bishop and Clerks.
The first Keeper was Samuel Peak, whose teenage son John took over after Samuel’s untimely death in 1824. John and his wife raised nine children at the lighthouse with two of his sons becoming lighthouse keepers.
By the mid 1800’s as traffic increased by Point Gammon with the opening of the railroad in Hyannis, the light was deemed as ineffective and a lightship was stationed close to Bishop and Clerks rocks until a lighthouse was built on that site.
The Bishop and Clerks Light was decommissioned in 1928 and razed in 1952. Point Gammon light has been in private residence since 1872.
In 1882 the island was sold to a wealthy ornithologist who set up the island as a game preserve. The old stone building was used as a museum for their butterfly collection.
Places to Visit:
The villages of South Yarmouth, West Yarmouth, and Yarmouth offer a blend of historic 19th century architecture and a wide variety of outdoor activities and nightlife for travelers.
Yarmouth is one of the Cape’s tourist capitals with the largest number of lodging rooms on Cape Cod. The lighthouse is best viewed by boat since the area surrounding the lighthouse is private property and is carefully restricted.
Great Island itself is a narrow, sandy peninsula jutting several miles southward in the Cape Cod Bay and is definitely a hikers paradise. It is challenging as hiking goes. Yarmouth and Hyannis offer plenty of activities for tourists like beaches, golfing, shopping, sailing, biking, and lots of events, including nightlife.
You can enjoy whale watching out of nearby Hyannis.
The Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis offers plenty of music and theater acts during the summer season.
Local Boat Tour
Bay Spirit Tours
Sailing cruises includes Hyannis Harbor lighthouse cruise, sunset cruises, and special charter cruises that include Point Gammon Light and Hyannis Harbor Light.
180 Ocean Street
HHyannis, MA 02601
Phone: 508-771-0107
Books to Explore
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: This 300-page book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses on the southern coastline, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions and tours. Lots of photos and map illustrations. Look inside! |
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This self-published book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. |
