Palmer's Island LIghthouse, June 28, 2009

Six-acre Palmer's Island, in the Acushnet River on the west side of the entrance to New Bedford Harbor, has been the scene of great heroism and tragedy, and its lighthouse was once considered one of New England's most picturesque. For years the lighthouse and the island itself were sad victims of neglect and vandalism, but thanks to concerned citizens and officials of the city of New Bedford, the lighthouse is shining once again.

The island got its name from one of the first settlers of Dartmouth, William Palmer. Like Boston Harbor's Deer Island, Palmer's Island was used as an internment camp for Indians during King Philip's War in 1675-76. Most of these Indians were later sold into slavery in the West Indies.

New Bedford was the whaling capital of the nation in the mid-nineteenth century. The whaling industry reached its peak in the 1850s, when New Bedford had a fleet of 239 ships. In his 1843 survey of the lighthouses along the coast, inspector I.W.P. Lewis pointed out the need for a lighthouse on Palmer's Island

This island lies directly within the entrance to New Bedford Harbor. A single lamp beacon place upon it would add materially to the facilities requires on entering this important harbor.

Palmer Island Light with its first "birdcage" style lantern room (U.S. Coast Guard)

The lighthouse on the northern point of Palmer's Island was first lighted on August 30, 1849 by William Sherman (sometimes spelled Shearman), the first keeper. The 24-foot tower was built of rubblestone, with wooden windows and floors. A walkway connected the lighthouse to the higher part of the island.

An 1850 inspection reported:

Tower of the light-house built of stone, and tight; dwelling is of wood and somewhat leaky; lantern is a good one, and the whole taken together is a fair piece of work... Found the apparatus clean; but the dome of the lantern, whih was painted white, was just as black as could be -- casued by burning Mr. Rodman's lamp with whale oil. Swelling is too small and needs a porch.

Keeper Sherman left to become the toll collector on the Fairhaven Bridge in 1853. Charles D. Tuell, who remained keeper until 1861, replaced him. Joseph B. C. Tuell was born at the lighthouse to the keeper and his wife in 1858. When Joseph Tuell died in 1935, his ashes were spread over the island from an airplane.

You can read much more about this lighthouse in the book The Lighthouses of Massachusetts by Jeremy D'Entremont.