Spectral Keepers of the Lights

Coast Guard to explore sunken Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse

From Military.Com:

BOSTON - The media is invited attend the archaeological survey, Wednesday, of the former Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, which collapsed into the sea during a violent storm April 1851, about one mile northeast of Cohasset Harbor.

The Coast Guard, in cooperation with several other agencies, will conduct a week-long dive operation investigating the area surrounding Minot’s Ledge to locate and document archaeological remains, evaluate environmental hazards and also train Coast Guard divers in underwater search and investigation techniques.

Underwater footage from the previous days’ dive operations will be available to media aboard the ship. Also, Coast Guard divers, Coast Guard historians and underwater archaeologists will be available for interviews.

This operation is being conducted by the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Massachusetts Board of Underwater Archaeological Resources, the University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Environmental Police, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Office of Ocean Exploration and the Wisconsin Historical Society.

From the Boston Globe:

“The light house won’t stand over to night. She shakes 2 feet each way now.”

The quote above is from the note that was found in a bottle washed ashore after the storm destroyed the tower and took the lives of the Assistant Keepers Joseph Antoine and Joseph Wilson. has quite a bit more, including the story of Joseph Antoine and Joseph Wilson, mentioning the note in a bottle that was found after the storm had destroyed the tower and took their lives.

On June 20, the crew will anchor a floating marker with a bronze plaque at the site to commemorate Joseph Wilson and Joseph Antoine, the lightkeepers who died. “These brave men gave the last full measure of devotion to their duty to keep the light burning,” the inscription on the plaque reads.

Perhaps their spirits will finally be at rest.

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