Small Towers

My "Cast Iron" Lighthouses are working replicas of the numerous prefabricated cast iron, brick lined lighthouses erected between 1873 and 1881. With few exceptions (Bordern Flats & Great Beds), they were shore based towers with separate keeper's quarters. The off shore towers also doubled as the living space for the keeper. The prefabricated cast iron plates were assembled on site forming the exterior shell of the lighthouse. This outer shell was then lined with brick which served to both reinforce and insulate the tower. On shore towers had a circular stair leading up to the watch room while the off shore towers has several floors of cramped living spaces below the watch room. Beginning in 1882, the U.S. Lighthouse Service began building the larger "Spark Plug" lights on off shore caissons using the same prefabricated cast iron plates.