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Quiz about Lighthouses of the Northeastern United States

Lighthouses of the North-eastern United States Quiz

The lighthouses of the north-eastern coast of the United States has some of the oldest and most historic structures in this country. See how many of them you know.

A multiple-choice quiz by pshelton. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
pshelton

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
289,929

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
384

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Which lighthouse was the first one built in the western hemisphere, lost its first keeper and his family, was burned by the Americans and blown up by the British? Hint

Boston Harbor Light, MA

Chesapeake Light, VA

Mystic Seaport Light, CT

Plymouth (Gurnet) Light, MA

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. This lighthouse is the most northerly in Maryland and the oldest continuously operated one in the state. From its opening in 1827, its keepers for 150 years were members of the same family. Which lighthouse it is? Hint

Concord Point Light, MD

Baltimore Harbor Light, MD

Laretto Point Light, MD

Bloody Point Bar Light, MD

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Question 3 of 10

3. This woman was the daughter of two lighthouse keepers and became one of the most famous of the female keepers. A Rhode Island lighthouse was renamed in her honor. Who was she? Hint

Sarah Atwood

Ida Lewis

Sarah Ann Hooper

Annie Gage

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which lighthouse, built on the site of a wreck where the survivors had to resort cannibalism, also reportedly had the wife of a deceased keeper go insane? Hint

Fenwick Island Light, DE

Boon Island Light, ME

Avery Point Light, CT

Buzzards Bay Light, MA

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which lighthouse sheltered two young girls who were able to drive off hostile British forces in the War of 1812 by playing "Yankee Doodle"? Hint

Cape May Light, NJ

Point Judith Light, RI

Old Scituate Light, MA

Mystic Head Light, CT

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Many may not realize that the Statue of Liberty is also a lighthouse, but what other "first" also involved this structure? Hint

It was the first U.S. lighthouse built in an immigration port.

It was the first U.S. lighthouse built entirely by a foreign country.

It was the first U.S. lighthouse to use electricity.

It was the first U.S. lighthouse open to the public.

NEXT>

Question 7 of 10

7. Which lighthouse was the first built in New York State and was visited by both the slave ship "Amistad" and a pirate? Hint

Montauk Point Light, NY

Fire Island Light, NY

Cedar Island Light, NY

Eatons Neck Light, NY

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. Which lighthouse was built in a singularly poor island location and now both the lighthouse and the island have disappeared? Hint

Fort Tompkins Light, NY

Point No Point Light, MD

Sakonnet Light, RI

Watts Island Light, VA

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Which lighthouse is also called "Kate's Light" for the wife of a keeper who after his death tended the light and daily rowed her children to school in Staten Island? Hint

Sandy Hook Light, NJ

Robbins Reef Light, NJ

Oak Orchard Light, NY

Horton Point Light, NY

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Question 10 of 10

10. This man served as the lighthouse keeper for Cape Elizabeth and Pemaquid Point lighthouses in Maine and became famous for his diligence and bold rescues. Who is the only person to win both the Medal of Honor and the Gold Lifesaving Medal? Hint

Eben Emerson

Marcus Hanna

Thomas Orcutt

C.R. Dobbins

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which lighthouse was the first one built in the western hemisphere, lost its first keeper and his family, was burned by the Americans and blown up by the British?

Answer: Boston Harbor Light, MA

Boston Harbor Light is also the first lighthouse built in the United States colonies, erected in 1716 on Little Brewster Island. George Worthylake, the first keeper, drowned near the island with his wife and daughter in 1718. During the Revolutionary War, it was occupied by the British and the attacking American forces set fire to it on two occasions.

In 1776, the departing British blew up the tower and a new one was constructed in 1783.

Answer: Concord Point Light, MD

A member of the O'Neill family defended the site of the lighthouse during the War of 1812 and this intrepid fellow became the first keeper in 1827. O'Neill's descendants served Concord Point Light until the mid 1900s.

3. This woman was the daughter of two lighthouse keepers and became one of the most famous of the female keepers. A Rhode Island lighthouse was renamed in her honor. Who was she?

Answer: Ida Lewis

Lime Rock Light in Newport harbor, RI was first lit in 1854. After the first keeper, James Lewis, suffered a stroke in 1858, his wife Ida tended the light assisted by her young daughter. In 1879 the daughter, also named Ida Lewis, became the official keeper and served in that capacity until 1911. In 1924, Lime Rock was renamed the Ida Lewis Lighthouse.

4. Which lighthouse, built on the site of a wreck where the survivors had to resort cannibalism, also reportedly had the wife of a deceased keeper go insane?

Answer: Boon Island Light, ME

Boon Island is one of the most isolated islands on the coast and the site of a number of shipwrecks. In 1710 the "Nottingham Galley" floundered and the survivors were forced to the extremes of cannibalism before they were rescued. A station was built on Boon Island in 1799 and the first tower in 1811.

This tower washed away and the current edifice was built in 1855. Afterwards, a 19th century keeper died and his wife, left alone, was found by a supply ship wandering the island and insane.

5. Which lighthouse sheltered two young girls who were able to drive off hostile British forces in the War of 1812 by playing "Yankee Doodle"?

Answer: Old Scituate Light, MA

Rebecca and Abigail Bates were in the lighthouse during a fog when British forces approached. They played "Yankee Doodle" on a fife and drum and made enough commotion to cause the British commander to believe that the racket came from the local militia and he withdrew. Old Scituate was completed in 1811 and was the 11th lighthouse built in the United States.

6. Many may not realize that the Statue of Liberty is also a lighthouse, but what other "first" also involved this structure?

Answer: It was the first U.S. lighthouse to use electricity.

The Statue of Liberty became an operational lighthouse 22 November 1886. The first keeper, Albert Littlefield, was paid a much higher wage than most lighthouse keepers because he had special training in the "new" electrical systems.

7. Which lighthouse was the first built in New York State and was visited by both the slave ship "Amistad" and a pirate?

Answer: Montauk Point Light, NY

Montauk Point was commissioned by George Washington and became operational in 1797, being the first lighthouse built entirely by the federal government. It was heavily fortified with weaponry in World War I and World War II. In 1839, slaves guided the commandeered ship "Amistad" ashore here seeking supplies. According to legend, around 1699 Captain Kidd buried treasure near the lighthouse in an area known as "Money Ponds".

8. Which lighthouse was built in a singularly poor island location and now both the lighthouse and the island have disappeared?

Answer: Watts Island Light, VA

Many east coast lighthouses were endangered or destroyed by occupying locations prone to erosion due to soft and unstable soil. Watts Island was first lit in 1833 and saw the area of the island that it occupied shrink year after year as chunks of land fell into the sea.

In 1944 the tower was destroyed by a storm and now the entire island has vanished. The site is now marked with a lighted buoy.

9. Which lighthouse is also called "Kate's Light" for the wife of a keeper who after his death tended the light and daily rowed her children to school in Staten Island?

Answer: Robbins Reef Light, NJ

Robbins Reef was lit 1883 and its first keeper was Jacob Walker. His wife, Kate, maintained the light after his death in 1886 until 1919.

Answer: Marcus Hanna

Marcus Hanna (1842-1921) was the son of the Franklin Island Light keeper and went off to sea when he was only 10 years old. He served in the Civil War with the 50th Massachusetts Infantry and for valor at Port Hudson, LA, he received the Medal of Honor. He earned the Gold Lifesaving Medal in 1885 for rescuing several stranded sailors at Cape Elizabeth.

Source: Author pshelton

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