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Borden Flats Lighthouse

July 29th, 2013

Fall River, Massachusetts

 

 

Go like the Lighthouse's facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Borden-Flats-Lighthouse/1119406888...

 

 

Another shot from the same day. The sky was changing fast so practically every shot we took going around it gave a completely different setting for this magnificent historic beauty. Now, to make it there for a sunset

 

 

Information:

 

 

"Located at the mouth of the Taunton River, Borden Flats Lighthouse has protected the waters of Mt. Hope Bay and Fall River for well over a century.

 

 

During the early days of the industrial revolution, Fall River became known as the world leader in textile productions. The city grew to employ nearly 30,000 textile factory workers and became destination for large steam liners from destination such as Boston and New York.

 

 

Due to a large under water reef at the entrance to the Taunton River, a lighted day marker was places atop the obstacle, only to prove obsolete for night commerce.

 

 

Congress appropriated funds for the construction of the cast iron, "spark plug" style lighthouse. On October, 1 1881 the lighthouse became active with a fixed red light from a 5th order Fresnel Lens. The lens was later upgraded to a 4th Order Fresnel Lens.

 

 

The U.S. Lighthouse Establishment (USLHE) held keepers at the lighthouse until the U.S. Coast Guard was created in 1939. At that point, the USLHE was eliminated and station became staffed by a full time Coast Guard officer.

 

 

In an effort to save costs, the lighthouse was fully automated and destaffed in 1963. The Fresnel lens was soon replaced by a 250mm plastic optic with a white flash every 2.5 seconds. Around 1996, the optic was upgraded to the present Vega Rotating Beacon VRB-25, displaying the same flash pattern.

 

 

The lighthouse was deemed surplus by the U.S. Coast Guard and was offered through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA). No entities applied, so it was sold into private ownership in August, 2010.

 

 

Today, the lighthouse is undergoing a transformation. After 48-years, the lighthouse once again has a caretaker.

The exterior of the station has undergone a long awaited facelift. By popular demand, the local boating community wanted to see a change in the lighthouse to help make it more visible against the Braga Bridge supports, the city of Fall River and the towers of the Brayton Point plant. The beacon now proudly displays a red lantern roof and red sectional band. The white on the tower was increased to a brighter white. Over all, the lighthouse is highly visible and can even be seen from the Mt. Hope Bay Bridge!"

 

 

SOURCE: www.bordenflats.com/

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Uploaded on August 6, 2013
Taken on July 29, 2013