Each Thursday in July and August the doors to Ned’s Point Lighthouse open up to the public for tours, a great view of the harbor and a little lesson in history. But this year the doors will close early. The 39-foot tower, built in 1838, will undergo renovations in a couple weeks according to keeper Bert Theriault. Last minute funding is being secured. The painted-white cement walls have significant cracks and leaks to be filled.

The tower has had many renovations in its 173 years. The builder, Leonard Hammond, was a better tavern owner than builder, says Lee Harrison, a member of the US Coast Guard Auxillary Flotilla 63. The Flotilla adopted the lighthouse in 1993 and, in addition the being the oldest Flotilla in the nation, became the first in the country to have a lighthouse. Harrison often stands on the catwalk in the hot sun, sharing the building’s history.

Just getting up to Harrison is an experience. After stepping into the building through a short doorway on the north side one has to proceed up narrow, winding steps. These steps, Harrison says, are unique.

“They’re what’s called ‘cantilever’ steps. If you look at them going down, you’ll see there is no mortar used in the construction. In the center, each step rests on the step below, with the outer edge built into the wall. And from what we believe, this is the only lighthouse that has that type of structure.”

Once up the steps, visitors have to climb a short ladder that brings them into the light room. This 250 mm halogen light, which runs on a photoelectric cell, has a range of 12 miles and six second isophase.

To access the catwalk, visitors have to crouch down through a small door.

“People say they should’ve made a bigger door,” Harrison jokes. “The thing is, that door was primarily used so the keeper could get on the catwalk and clean the windows so the light could shine brightly.”

The catwalk provides a stunning view of the harbor and Mattapoisett. On clear days, Harrison says one can see for miles across the water, but just looking down is fun too. From up here the foundation of the old keeper’s house is visibly. It collapsed in 1888 from what Harrison believes was called “The White Hurricane.”

“New England got 30 to 50 inches of snow,” he says. “Winds of 46 mph with gusts of over 70. So that did bring it into the hurricane category.”

The old oil house still stands as well. It was here that the keeper, despite the weather, had to carry two buckets of whale oil across the field, up the steps, and climb the ladder.

Despite the effort required to catch the view, Harrison believes it is worth it. And other people do to. He says that many famous officials have come to see Ned’s Point Lighthouse, from senators and other government officials to celebrities. Theriault, of course, would know just who. As the keeper of the lighthouse, he is also the keeper of the guestbook. He also says they have had over 100 people visit in the short two hours on Thursdays they are open.

The hours in July are 10 a.m. to noon, and in August, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. He also mentions that special tours for groups can be arranged as well.

For more information on the lighthouse and its history, visit
http://www.lighthouse.cc/nedspoint/ or contact Bert at nedspointlight@comcast.net