Boston Light

Boston, Massachusetts | Historic lighthouse

Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterNo public access (sourced)

About this lighthouse

On Little Brewster Island in the Boston Harbor Islands. The National Park Service says Boston Light and Little Brewster Island are not accessible to the public; it can be viewed from the water on seasonal lighthouse cruises that do not land.

The U.S. Coast Guard lists Boston Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “On white conical tower”. Light List entries describe the light for mariners; they do not say whether the site is open to visitors.

The structure is recorded in the National Register of Historic Places. A National Register listing documents historic significance. It does not mean the public can visit.

Awaiting verification: Wikidata gives 1716 as the year this station or structure was established. We have not yet confirmed this against a primary source, so it is not shown as a fact. See the Wikidata lead.

Facts panel

Sourced facts about Boston Light
Managed / operated by	U.S. Coast Guard (island); Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Navigation status	Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 425) [1]
Light characteristic	Fl W 10s [1]
Focal height	102 ft above water [1]
Nominal range	27 nautical miles [1]
Structure (USCG description)	On white conical tower. [1]
National Register	Listed as “Boston Light” (NRIS 66000133), NPGallery record dated 10/15/1966 [2]
NRHP significant years	1716 1783 1884 [2]
NRHP areas of significance	Engineering Transportation Architecture Communications Maritime History [2]
County	Suffolk County
Coordinates	42.32792, -70.89014 [3]

Getting there

Directions should target a legal public viewing location. We have not verified a public viewpoint or parking area for this light yet, so check the official source before you go.

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Open larger map. The pin marks the lighthouse position, not a parking area or a permitted viewpoint.

Accessibility

We have no verified accessibility information for this site yet. Contact the site manager before your visit if you need step-free access.

Nearby lights

Straight-line distance between lighthouse positions, not a driving time or route.

The Graves Light — 2.8 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Deer Island Light — 3.4 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Long Island Head Light — 3.5 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Minot's Ledge Light — 7.8 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Old Scituate Light — 12.3 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)

Sources

Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 425 “Boston Light” — U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center (weekly edition 11/11/2026). https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/weekly-light-lists (checked 2026-11-11)
National Register of Historic Places record 66000133: “Boston Light” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/66000133 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikidata item Q2895493 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2895493 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Light (checked 2026-11-11)
Little Brewster Island — National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/places/little-brewster-island.htm (checked 2026-11-11)
Boston Light — National Park Service - Boston Harbor Islands. http://nps.gov/boha/learn/historyculture/boston-light.htm (checked 2026-11-11)
Frequently Asked Questions - Boston Harbor Islands — National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/boha/faqs.htm (checked 2026-11-11)

Last checked November 11, 2026. Found an error or a closure? Send a correction.