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71-479: The Hereford Inlet Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in North Wildwood, New Jersey , situated on the southern shore of Hereford Inlet at the north end of Five Mile Beach. Its construction was completed and it became operational in 1874. The 50-foot (15 m) tower and its beacon are visible for up to 13 nautical miles (24 km; 15 mi). Hereford Inlet, a break in the barrier islands along

142-402: A rescue service , if necessary. Improvements in maritime navigation and safety, such Global Positioning System (GPS), led to the phasing out of non-automated lighthouses across the world. Although several closed due to safety concerns, Canada still maintains 49 staffed lighthouses, split roughly evenly across east and west coasts. The remaining modern lighthouses are usually illuminated by

213-640: A Diesel generator for backup. Many Fresnel lens installations have been replaced by rotating aerobeacons , which require less maintenance. In modern automated lighthouses, the system of rotating lenses is often replaced by a high intensity light that emits brief omnidirectional flashes, concentrating the light in time rather than direction. These lights are similar to obstruction lights used to warn aircraft of tall structures. Later innovations were "Vega Lights", and experiments with light-emitting diode (LED) panels. LED lights, which use less energy and are easier to maintain, had come into widespread use by 2020. In

284-436: A filament source. Experimental installations of laser lights, either at high power to provide a "line of light" in the sky or, utilising low power, aimed towards mariners have identified problems of increased complexity in installation and maintenance, and high power requirements. The first practical installation, in 1971 at Point Danger lighthouse , Queensland , was replaced by a conventional light after four years, because

355-453: A form of concrete that will set under water used by the Romans, and developed a technique of securing the granite blocks together using dovetail joints and marble dowels . The dovetailing feature served to improve the structural stability , although Smeaton also had to taper the thickness of the tower towards the top, for which he curved the tower inwards on a gentle gradient. This profile had

426-414: A horizontal plane, and horizontally the light is focused into one or a few directions at a time, with the light beam swept around. As a result, in addition to seeing the side of the light beam, the light is directly visible from greater distances, and with an identifying light characteristic . This concentration of light is accomplished with a rotating lens assembly. In early lighthouses, the light source

497-427: A more powerful hyperradiant Fresnel lens manufactured by the firm of Chance Brothers . While lighthouse buildings differ depending on the location and purpose, they tend to have common components. A light station comprises the lighthouse tower and all outbuildings, such as the keeper's living quarters, fuel house, boathouse, and fog-signaling building. The Lighthouse itself consists of a tower structure supporting

568-583: A navigator with a line of position called a range in North America and a transit in Britain. Ranges can be used to precisely align a vessel within a narrow channel such as a river. With landmarks of a range illuminated with a set of fixed lighthouses, nighttime navigation is possible. Such paired lighthouses are called range lights in North America and leading lights in the United Kingdom. The closer light

639-512: A number of screw-pile lighthouses. Englishman James Douglass was knighted for his work on the fourth Eddystone Lighthouse. United States Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant George Meade built numerous lighthouses along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts before gaining wider fame as the winning general at the Battle of Gettysburg . Colonel Orlando M. Poe , engineer to General William Tecumseh Sherman in

710-402: A particular color (usually formed by colored panes in the lantern) to distinguish safe water areas from dangerous shoals. Modern lighthouses often have unique reflectors or racon transponders so the radar signature of the light is also unique. Before modern strobe lights , lenses were used to concentrate the light from a continuous source. Vertical light rays of the lamp are redirected into

781-565: A quarter of the active lighthouses in Maine have one installed. A microprocessor controlled 12 volt DC motor drives an array of six or eight acrylic Fresnel lenses around a bulb at one of 248 speeds ranging from 0.5 to 15.9 revolutions per minute (RPM). In the simplest case, all six lenses are used, so that for Boon Island Light , which shows one flash every five seconds, the mechanism rotates at two RPM. Eight lenses are used only when required to achieve more complex characteristics . Maximum range

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852-411: A reservoir mounted above the burner. The lamp was first produced by Matthew Boulton , in partnership with Argand, in 1784, and became the standard for lighthouses for over a century. South Foreland Lighthouse was the first tower to successfully use an electric light in 1875. The lighthouse's carbon arc lamps were powered by a steam-driven magneto . John Richardson Wigham was the first to develop

923-415: A single stationary flashing light powered by solar-charged batteries and mounted on a steel skeleton tower. Where the power requirement is too great for solar power alone, cycle charging of the battery by a Diesel generator is provided. The generator only comes into use when the battery needs charging, saving fuel and increasing periods between maintenance. John Smeaton is noteworthy for having designed

994-469: A system for gas illumination of lighthouses. His improved gas 'crocus' burner at the Baily Lighthouse near Dublin was 13 times more powerful than the most brilliant light then known. The vaporized oil burner was invented in 1901 by Arthur Kitson , and improved by David Hood at Trinity House . The fuel was vaporized at high pressure and burned to heat the mantle, giving an output of over six times

1065-501: A warning signal for reefs and promontories , unlike many modern lighthouses. The most famous lighthouse structure from antiquity was the Pharos of Alexandria , Egypt , which collapsed following a series of earthquakes between 956 and 1323. The intact Tower of Hercules at A Coruña , Spain gives insight into ancient lighthouse construction; other evidence about lighthouses exists in depictions on coins and mosaics, of which many represent

1136-606: Is a lighthouse optical system designed and built by Vega Industries Ltd. in Porirua , New Zealand . It was originally designed in 1993–95 with the assistance of the United States Coast Guard to meet USCG requirements for a robust mechanism requiring minimum maintenance. It has become the Coast Guard's standard 12 volt rotating beacon. The company's literature says there are more than 400 installations worldwide. More than

1207-719: Is a good harbor of refuge for small coasting vessels." Finally, on June 10, 1872, Congress acted to fund the erection of a fourth-order light along the New Jersey shoreline. On July 7, 1873, Humphrey S. Cresse sold the 1.5-acre (0.61 ha) site to the U.S. government for $ 150. The lighthouse was designed by Paul J. Pelz , who also designed Hereford Inlet's sister stations, Point Fermin Light in San Pedro, California; East Brother Island Light in Richmond, California; Mare Island Light (demolished in

1278-495: Is achieved by using the slowest possible speed, but for grouped flashes, it is necessary to blank off lenses and rotate the mechanism faster. So, for example, for The Cuckolds Light , whose characteristic is group flashing two every six seconds, all but two of the six panels are blanked off and the mechanism rotates at ten RPM. The mechanism is driven by a DC thirty-pole three phase brushless direct drive motor which consumes approximately 1.5 watts. The microprocessor controller keeps

1349-430: Is carefully maintained at 12.00V using pulse-width modulation . The lamps, standard marine signal lamps which may be from 10 to 100 watts as required to produce the necessary range, typically have a life of 2,000 hours. The unit contains a bulb changing mechanism which holds six bulbs, so that a unit could go approximately three years between maintenance visits to change bulbs. The acrylic lenses and cylinder surrounding

1420-419: Is one example. Race Rocks Light in western Canada is painted in horizontal black and white bands to stand out against the horizon. For effectiveness, the lamp must be high enough to be seen before the danger is reached by a mariner. The minimum height is calculated by trigonometry (see Distance to the horizon ) as D = 1.22 H {\displaystyle D=1.22{\sqrt {H}}} , where H

1491-479: Is referred to as the beacon or front range; the further light is called the rear range. The rear range light is almost always taller than the front. When a vessel is on the correct course, the two lights align vertically, but when the observer is out of position, the difference in alignment indicates the direction of travel to correct the course. There are two types of lighthouses: ones that are located on land, and ones that are offshore. VRB-25 The VRB-25

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1562-510: Is the height above water in feet, and D is the distance from the lighthouse to the horizon in nautical miles, the lighthouse range . Where dangerous shoals are located far off a flat sandy beach, the prototypical tall masonry coastal lighthouse is constructed to assist the navigator making a landfall after an ocean crossing. Often these are cylindrical to reduce the effect of wind on a tall structure, such as Cape May Light . Smaller versions of this design are often used as harbor lights to mark

1633-601: The Florida Reef along the Florida Keys, beginning with the Carysfort Reef Light in 1852. In waters too deep for a conventional structure, a lightship might be used instead of a lighthouse, such as the former lightship Columbia . Most of these have now been replaced by fixed light platforms (such as Ambrose Light ) similar to those used for offshore oil exploration . Aligning two fixed points on land provides

1704-671: The 1930s) in Carquinez Strait, California; Point Hueneme Light (replaced in 1940) in California, and Point Adams Light (burned down by the Lighthouse Service in 1912) in Washington state, all in essentially the same style. The United States Army Corps of Engineers undertook construction of the lighthouse on November 8, 1873, on a design by Pelz, and completed it on March 30, 1874. A "Notice to Mariners" issued May 11, 1874, announced

1775-510: The 20th century. These often have a narrow cylindrical core surrounded by an open lattice work bracing, such as Finns Point Range Light . Sometimes a lighthouse needs to be constructed in the water itself. Wave-washed lighthouses are masonry structures constructed to withstand water impact, such as Eddystone Lighthouse in Britain and the St. George Reef Light of California. In shallower bays, Screw-pile lighthouse ironwork structures are screwed into

1846-653: The City of North Wildwood and the city's North Wildwood Historical Commission. The lighthouse is listed on both the National and State Registers of Historic Places as of 1977 and it is part of the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail. It is operated and maintained with money generated through donations and Lighthouse fundraising projects. John Marche served as the first lighthouse keeper for less than three months before drowning when his rowboat overturned on returning from

1917-462: The Swiss scientist Aimé Argand revolutionized lighthouse illumination with its steady smokeless flame. Early models used ground glass which was sometimes tinted around the wick. Later models used a mantle of thorium dioxide suspended over the flame, creating a bright, steady light. The Argand lamp used whale oil , colza , olive oil or other vegetable oil as fuel, supplied by a gravity feed from

1988-405: The United Kingdom and Ireland about a third of lighthouses had been converted from filament light sources to use LEDs, and conversion continued with about three per year. The light sources are designed to replicate the colour and character of the traditional light as closely as possible. The change is often not noticed by people in the region, but sometimes a proposed change leads to calls to preserve

2059-486: The added advantage of allowing some of the energy of the waves to dissipate on impact with the walls. His lighthouse was the prototype for the modern lighthouse and influenced all subsequent engineers. One such influence was Robert Stevenson , himself a seminal figure in the development of lighthouse design and construction. His greatest achievement was the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse in 1810, one of

2130-433: The advent of much cheaper, more sophisticated, and more effective electronic navigational systems. Before the development of clearly defined ports , mariners were guided by fires built on hilltops. Since elevating the fire would improve visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice that led to the development of the lighthouse. In antiquity, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as

2201-481: The beam was too narrow to be seen easily. In any of these designs an observer, rather than seeing a continuous weak light, sees a brighter light during short time intervals. These instants of bright light are arranged to create a light characteristic or pattern specific to a lighthouse. For example, the Scheveningen Lighthouse flashes are alternately 2.5 and 7.5 seconds. Some lights have sectors of

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2272-474: The buildings were no longer needed. The Life Saving Station remains used by the New Jersey State Police today, however, the lighthouse was boarded up and left unused until 1982 when locals petitioned to take over the building. In 1986, the light (DCB-24) was transferred from the skeletal tower into the lighthouse. The grounds were taken over by North Wildwood 's superintendent of parks, Steve Murray. At

2343-406: The choice of light sources, mountings, reflector design, the use of Fresnel lenses , and in rotation and shuttering systems providing lighthouses with individual signatures allowing them to be identified by seafarers. He also invented the movable jib and the balance-crane as a necessary part for lighthouse construction. Alexander Mitchell designed the first screw-pile lighthouse – his lighthouse

2414-525: The collapse of the Soviet government in 1990s, most of the official records on the locations, and condition, of these lighthouses were reportedly lost. Over time, the condition of RTGs in Russia degraded; many of them fell victim to vandalism and scrap metal thieves, who may not have been aware of the dangerous radioactive contents. Energy-efficient LED lights can be powered by solar panels , with batteries instead of

2485-488: The construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length , without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design. A Fresnel lens can be made much thinner than a comparable conventional lens, in some cases taking the form of a flat sheet. A Fresnel lens can also capture more oblique light from a light source, thus allowing the light from a lighthouse equipped with one to be visible over greater distances. The first Fresnel lens

2556-501: The eastern side of Cape May , was first used by whalers in the 17th century. Though the area was frequented, environmental conditions such as shifting sandbars and strong currents created reason for concern and in 1849, a life-saving station was built along the inlet. With shipwrecks on the rise throughout America, the United States Life Saving Service was founded 22 years later and a larger Life-Saving Station replaced

2627-473: The emitted light into a concentrated beam, thereby greatly increasing the light's visibility. The ability to focus the light led to the first revolving lighthouse beams, where the light would appear to the mariners as a series of intermittent flashes. It also became possible to transmit complex signals using the light flashes. French physicist and engineer Augustin-Jean Fresnel developed the multi-part Fresnel lens for use in lighthouses. His design allowed for

2698-468: The entrance into a harbor, such as New London Harbor Light . Where a tall cliff exists, a smaller structure may be placed on top such as at Horton Point Light . Sometimes, such a location can be too high, for example along the west coast of the United States, where frequent low clouds can obscure the light. In these cases, lighthouses are placed below the clifftop to ensure that they can still be seen at

2769-469: The existing one. After being on Hereford Inlet for only one year, the United States Life Saving Service recognized the need for a lighthouse and included in its annual report that, "A small light, say a fourth order, is respectfully recommended for this place, as it would be of importance to the coal trade and to steamers navigating the Delaware Bay and River, and to mark the entrance to the inlet, where there

2840-534: The fire." The light was decommissioned in 1964 when the United States Coast Guard constructed an automated skeletal light tower. It is disputed as to when the lighthouse and adjoining Life-Saving Station were turned over to the New Jersey State Police 's Marine Services Unit. It is argued that the transfer occurred in 1963, just before the tower was constructed, other say that it occurred when

2911-455: The lantern room where the light operates. The lantern room is the glassed-in housing at the top of a lighthouse tower containing the lamp and lens. Its glass storm panes are supported by metal muntins (glazing bars) running vertically or diagonally. At the top of the lantern room is a stormproof ventilator designed to remove the smoke of the lamps and the heat that builds in the glass enclosure. A lightning rod and grounding system connected to

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2982-531: The light is concentrated, if needed, by the "lens" or "optic". Power sources for lighthouses in the 20th–21st centuries vary. Originally lit by open fires and later candles, the Argand hollow wick lamp and parabolic reflector were introduced in the late 18th century. Whale oil was also used with wicks as the source of light. Kerosene became popular in the 1870s and electricity and acetylene gas derived on-site from calcium carbide began replacing kerosene around

3053-505: The lighthouse at Ostia . Coins from Alexandria, Ostia, and Laodicea in Syria also exist. The modern era of lighthouses began at the turn of the 18th century, as the number of lighthouses being constructed increased significantly due to much higher levels of transatlantic commerce. Advances in structural engineering and new and efficient lighting equipment allowed for the creation of larger and more powerful lighthouses, including ones exposed to

3124-551: The lighthouse for shelter. A more severe storm in August 1913 brought the water dangerously close to the lighthouse, damaging the foundation and threatening the structure. The lighthouse was temporarily closed and the structure was moved 150 feet (46 m) west. It reopened in 1914. A fire later threatened the structure in 1938 while the current keeper, Ferdinand Heinzman, was painting the structure. According to Lighthouse Friends, "A coastguardsman … noticed thick smoke emanating from one of

3195-469: The lighthouse keepers. Efficiently concentrating the light from a large omnidirectional light source requires a very large diameter lens. This would require a very thick and heavy lens if a conventional lens were used. The Fresnel lens (pronounced / f r eɪ ˈ n ɛ l / ) focused 85% of a lamp's light versus the 20% focused with the parabolic reflectors of the time. Its design enabled construction of lenses of large size and short focal length without

3266-466: The luminosity of traditional oil lights. The use of gas as illuminant became widely available with the invention of the Dalén light by Swedish engineer Gustaf Dalén . He used Agamassan (Aga), a substrate , to absorb the gas, allowing the gas to be stored, and hence used, safely. Dalén also invented the ' sun valve ', which automatically regulated the light and turned it off during the daytime. The technology

3337-416: The mainland. The next keeper, Freeling "Captain" Hewitt, an American Civil War veteran, served that position for the longest time, 45 years. Lighthouse Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals , reefs , rocks, and safe entries to harbors; they also assist in aerial navigation . Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and

3408-421: The metal cupola roof provides a safe conduit for any lightning strikes. Immediately beneath the lantern room is usually a Watch Room or Service Room where fuel and other supplies were kept and where the keeper prepared the lanterns for the night and often stood watch. The clockworks (for rotating the lenses) were also located there. On a lighthouse tower, an open platform called the gallery is often located outside

3479-485: The most impressive feats of engineering of the age. This structure was based upon Smeaton's design, but with several improved features, such as the incorporation of rotating lights, alternating between red and white. Stevenson worked for the Northern Lighthouse Board for nearly fifty years during which time he designed and oversaw the construction and later improvement of numerous lighthouses. He innovated in

3550-402: The motor speed within 2% of that chosen, using optical sensing of a circular pattern of alternating black and silver lines located around the bottom of the turntable. This provides a feedback signal for speed control. The unit is designed to accept voltages ranging from 11 to 30 volts. Since the life of an incandescent lamp decreases dramatically as the applied voltage increases, the lamp voltage

3621-448: The observer has been achieved by rotating a lens system. Since LEDs can be flashed on and off without degrading their lives, it appears that the VRB-25 is the last use of rotating beacons in lighthouses. Although the units have been successful in their adoption, there has been occasional controversy (at Egg Rock Light in Maine, for example ) when the Coast Guard has removed the lantern from

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3692-442: The operation of the light on the north end of Five Mile Beach. Hereford Inlet Lighthouse withstood many potential dangers. One of the noted environmental dangers included a storm that hit September 8–12, 1889. According to Mid-Atlantic Hurricanes the storm "occurred when [a hurricane] stalled off the coast … producing erosive, enveloping surf and covering part or all of many barrier islands." Many residents of historic Anglesea fled to

3763-458: The sea. The function of lighthouses was gradually changed from indicating ports to the providing of a visible warning against shipping hazards, such as rocks or reefs. The Eddystone Rocks were a major shipwreck hazard for mariners sailing through the English Channel . The first lighthouse built there was an octagonal wooden structure, anchored by 12 iron stanchions secured in the rock, and

3834-451: The seabed and a low wooden structure is placed above the open framework, such as Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse . As screw piles can be disrupted by ice, steel caisson lighthouses such as Orient Point Light are used in cold climates. Orient Long Beach Bar Light (Bug Light) is a blend of a screw pile light that was converted to a caisson light because of the threat of ice damage. Skeletal iron towers with screw-pile foundations were built on

3905-541: The siege of Atlanta, designed and built some of the most exotic lighthouses in the most difficult locations on the U.S. Great Lakes . French merchant navy officer Marius Michel Pasha built almost a hundred lighthouses along the coasts of the Ottoman Empire in a period of twenty years after the Crimean War (1853–1856). In a lighthouse, the source of light is called the "lamp" (whether electric or fuelled by oil) and

3976-516: The surface during periods of fog or low clouds, as at Point Reyes Lighthouse . Another example is in San Diego , California : the Old Point Loma lighthouse was too high up and often obscured by fog, so it was replaced in 1891 with a lower lighthouse, New Point Loma lighthouse . As technology advanced, prefabricated skeletal iron or steel structures tended to be used for lighthouses constructed in

4047-587: The third and most famous Eddystone Lighthouse , but some builders are well known for their work in building multiple lighthouses. The Stevenson family ( Robert , Alan , David , Thomas , David Alan , and Charles ) made lighthouse building a three-generation profession in Scotland. Richard Henry Brunton designed and built 26 Japanese lighthouses in Meiji Era Japan, which became known as Brunton's "children". Blind Irishman Alexander Mitchell invented and built

4118-456: The time of the lighthouse's closure, it had been painted white with red trim and blue shutters; in 2003, it was restored to its historically accurate buff color. The current VRB-25 beacon was installed on July 19, 2018. As an active aid to navigation, the beacon in the lighthouse tower continues to be maintained by the United States Coast Guard. Today, Hereford Inlet Lighthouse operates as a fully operating lighthouse and museum. It operates under

4189-460: The tower after installing a VRB-25. This seemed logical since the lantern required maintenance and the VRB-25 is designed to sit outside, but it changed the traditional look of the towers. After public protest, a replacement lantern house was installed at Egg Rock Light in 1986. All the VRB-25s listed below, except Piedras Blancas, still have lanterns. While the beam is visible at its listed range, it

4260-483: The traditional light, including in some cases a rotating beam. A typical LED system designed to fit into the traditional 19th century Fresnel lens enclosure was developed by Trinity House and two other lighthouse authorities and costs about € 20,000, depending on configuration, according to a supplier; it has large fins to dissipate heat. Lifetime of the LED light source is 50,000 to 100,000 hours, compared to about 1,000 hours for

4331-476: The turn of the 20th century. Carbide was promoted by the Dalén light , which automatically lit the lamp at nightfall and extinguished it at dawn. In the second half of the 20th century, many remote lighthouses in Russia (then Soviet Union ) were powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs). These had the advantage of providing power day or night and did not need refuelling or maintenance. However, after

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4402-492: The twenty year replacement will be with an LED light source. In fact, several VLB-44 LED beacons, also made by Vega Industries, have been installed by the USCG, including one at White Island Light . From the first use of lighthouses with flashing lights, the light source has been continuous. Turning a flame on and off was impractical and flashing an incandescent electric lamp reduces its life substantially. The characteristic seen by

4473-407: The upstairs windows, called the fire department, and then alerted the occupants of the imminent danger." Heinzman attempted to extinguish the fire but was deterred by the fire. "Undaunted, he procured a ladder and equipped with a garden hose, he climbed to the second story and fought the fire through a window… and saved the lighthouse … An investigation determined that spontaneous combustion had started

4544-523: The watch room (called the Main Gallery) or Lantern Room (Lantern Gallery). This was mainly used for cleaning the outside of the windows of the Lantern Room. Lighthouses near to each other that are similar in shape are often painted in a unique pattern so they can easily be recognized during daylight, a marking known as a daymark . The black and white barber pole spiral pattern of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

4615-643: The weight and volume of material in conventional lens designs. Fresnel lighthouse lenses are ranked by order , a measure of refracting power, with a first order lens being the largest, most powerful and expensive; and a sixth order lens being the smallest. The order is based on the focal length of the lens. A first order lens has the longest focal length, with the sixth being the shortest. Coastal lighthouses generally use first, second, or third order lenses, while harbor lights and beacons use fourth, fifth, or sixth order lenses. Some lighthouses, such as those at Cape Race , Newfoundland, and Makapuu Point , Hawaii, used

4686-427: The whole mechanism are designed to be UV resistant, but still require replacement approximately every five years. In practice, since working lights are critical to navigation, the Coast Guard actually services lights more frequently. Except for that maintenance, the unit is expected to last twenty years. In the 2010s, LED lamps began replacing incandescent lamps in lighthouse applications, so it seemed likely that

4757-437: Was a kerosene lamp or, earlier, an animal or vegetable oil Argand lamp, and the lenses rotated by a weight driven clockwork assembly wound by lighthouse keepers, sometimes as often as every two hours. The lens assembly sometimes floated in liquid mercury to reduce friction. In more modern lighthouses, electric lights and motor drives were used, generally powered by diesel electric generators. These also supplied electricity for

4828-459: Was built by Henry Winstanley from 1696 to 1698. His lighthouse was the first tower in the world to have been fully exposed to the open sea. The civil engineer John Smeaton rebuilt the lighthouse from 1756 to 1759; his tower marked a major step forward in the design of lighthouses and remained in use until 1877. He modeled the shape of his lighthouse on that of an oak tree , using granite blocks. He rediscovered and used " hydraulic lime ",

4899-662: Was built on piles that were screwed into the sandy or muddy seabed. Construction of his design began in 1838 at the mouth of the Thames and was known as the Maplin Sands lighthouse, and first lit in 1841. Although its construction began later, the Wyre Light in Fleetwood, Lancashire, was the first to be lit (in 1840). Until 1782 the source of illumination had generally been wood pyres or burning coal. The Argand lamp , invented in 1782 by

4970-502: Was the predominant light source in lighthouses from the 1900s to the 1960s, when electric lighting had become dominant. With the development of the steady illumination of the Argand lamp, the application of optical lenses to increase and focus the light intensity became a practical possibility. William Hutchinson developed the first practical optical system in 1777, known as a catoptric system. This rudimentary system effectively collimated

5041-588: Was used in 1823 in the Cordouan lighthouse at the mouth of the Gironde estuary ; its light could be seen from more than 20 miles (32 km) out. Fresnel's invention increased the luminosity of the lighthouse lamp by a factor of four and his system is still in common use. The introduction of electrification and automatic lamp changers began to make lighthouse keepers obsolete. For many years, lighthouses still had keepers, partly because lighthouse keepers could serve as

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