Borden Flats Lighthouse
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
View of the lighthouse from the Borden Light Marina
This image shows the lighthouse prior to its recent updates and painting
This image of the lighthouse was taken near the outbreak of World War II when coastal defense became a leading security concern.
The lighthouse is now available for over night stays-see the link below for more information.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The work of this lighthouse began on October 1st, 1881 after Congress created a $25,000 fund in 1880 for the construction of this lighthouse to warn ships of shoals and underwater rocks in the Fall River. This river was crucial to the northeast transportation corridor, as well as a source for moving water that powered the nation's earl textile mills.
Upon its completion, the lighthouse was staffed by the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment (USLHE). The Coast Guard was created in 1939, consolidating the responsibilities of the USLHE and other federal agencies. The lighthouse was no longer staffed by the early 1960s, as it was fully automated. The lighthouse survived a hurricane but left it with a slight tilt. A wider cassion was built to improve stability and protect the historic lighthouse.
As the need for lighthouses diminished, the property was sold at auction but any owner would be required to abide by the terms of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Nick Korstad bought the
lighthouse and has worked to preserve the site and make it available to the public.
The lighthouse inside had a light, refrigerator, and stove that were all powered by kerosene. The fog bell even had to be wound by hand until 1957 when the lighthouse gained electricity. The lighthouse has a row of batteries, the size of a car engine, which powers the automated light.
The best views of the lighthouse can be had along the marina in the neighboring city of Borden Flats. This small community is still best-known for the sensational trial of Lizzie Borden in 1892. Borden was arrested for the violent murder of two of her family members, with leading newspapers and magazines bringing all of the salacious details and speculation to an eager public. Although acquitted, many remained convinced of Borden's guilt and her name became features in a popular rhyme used by generations of children to keep time while jumping rope. The Borden family were owners of textile mills along the edge of the Taunton River and one of Fall River's wealthiest families.