Highland Lighthouse

Highland Light Station, also known as Cape Cod Light, sits atop the eroding clay cliffs of North Truro on the Atlantic side of Cape Cod, the site of the first lighthouse ever built on Cape Cod. That original 30-foot brick tower was first lit in 1797 after local residents, led by Rev. Levi Whitman, petitioned the federal government, citing the many shipwrecks along the coast. The present complex dates mainly from 1857 and includes a 66-foot cylindrical brick tower rising about 120 feet above sea level, an attached walkway, the old keeper's house, and a generator shed, along with notable wrought-iron detailing. Now surrounded by National Park Service land within the Cape Cod National Seashore, it is significant under Criteria A and C at the state level as one of the better-preserved light stations in Massachusetts and for its role in the development of aids to navigation.

Highland Lighthouse is a landmark in Truro, Barnstable County. It is one of 6,558 landmarks documented in Barnstable County, among 6,897 historic sites cataloged across the county on MassRoam.

The site sits at 42.0391, -70.0620 near Truro. The nearest cataloged historic site is Highland Lighthouse Attached Walkway (landmark), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Highland Lighthouse Keeper's House, Highland Road, and Beacon Cottage.

This record is drawn from public historical records. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.