Tarpaulin Cove Light

Gosnold, Massachusetts | Historic lighthouse

Active aid in USCG Light ListNational RegisterAccess: verify before visiting

Tarpaulin Cove Light, Gosnold, Massachusetts — Photo: US Coast Guard · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons. Not a current-conditions photo.

About this lighthouse

The U.S. Coast Guard lists Tarpaulin Cove Light in its current Light List as an aid to navigation, describing the structure as “White tower; small white building attached to west side of 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 1818 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 Tarpaulin Cove Light
Navigation status	Listed as an aid to navigation in the current USCG Light List (LLNR 15580) [1]
Light characteristic	Fl W 6s [1]
Focal height	78 ft above water [1]
Nominal range	9 nautical miles [1]
Structure (USCG description)	White tower; small white building attached to west side of tower. [1]
National Register	Listed as “Tarpaulin Cove Light” (NRIS 87001505), NPGallery record dated [2]
NRHP significant years	1856 [2]
NRHP areas of significance	Engineering Transportation Architecture Maritime History [2]
County	Dukes County
Coordinates	41.46882, -70.75750 [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.

Nobska Light — 6.1 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
West Chop Light — 8.0 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Gay Head Light — 9.2 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
East Chop Light — 9.8 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)
Cleveland East Ledge Light — 11.7 mi straight-line (Massachusetts)

Sources

Light List Vol. I entry LLNR 15580 “Tarpaulin Cove 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 87001505: “Tarpaulin Cove Light” — National Park Service, NPGallery (NRHP). https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/87001505 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikidata item Q7686574 (used as a lead for coordinates and identifiers) — Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7686574 (checked 2026-11-11)
Wikipedia article (background reading, not a primary source) — Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarpaulin_Cove_Light (checked 2026-11-11)

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