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Clark's Point Massachusetts
Harbour Lights #283
Whale oil, a valuable resource in
colonial
America
, was a much sought-after commodity in the
New World
. Fleets of whaling vessels flooded the
Atlantic Ocean
, looking to capitalize on the bounty of oceanic mammals that flourished
in these waters. By 1850,
New Bedford
,
Massachusetts
was the whaling center of the world and it’s primary export, Sperm Whale
Oil, was the lantern fuel of choice.
Even before the influx of ships,
Clark’s Point was a prime candidate for a guiding beacon. Safe passage was
needed for vessels entering the
Bedford
Harbor
from
Buzzards Bay, so local merchants built a simple wooden lighthouse in 1797. This
primitive sentinel served until 1804, when the government commissioned the
building of a 42-foot stone tower. Upon completion, the construction crew
celebrated with a 100-gallon pot of chowder. The new beacon had a fixed
white light at a focal plane of 50 feet.
The first person assigned to the station
was Henry M. Smith, who built the keeper’s dwelling in 1842. He was a
renowned wood carver who created elaborate figureheads for the ships of
New Bedford
.
One account of life at
Clark's Point tells of an African woman slave and her two children arriving
by supply ship in the 1850’s. According to local lore, the family was
given refuge in
New Bedford
and the young boy, Charlie, became a well-known hack driver in the city.
The lighthouse was a success, but the
economic decline of
New Bedford
came quickly. By 1860, the whale population had declined tragically,
prompting inventors to find alternative fuel sources. Kerosene (coal oil)
was discovered, overtaking the market when Sperm Oil skyrocketed to $2.55
a gallon. Even the Lighthouse Board felt the pinch, universally converting
beacons to Kerosene.
The 1860’s also saw the construction
of a fortress at
Clark's Point. A seven-sided, granite structure rose beside the lighthouse,
eventually blocking the beacon’s view. So the lantern room was relocated
to a beacon on the top of
Fort
Taber
in 1869. In anticipation of the reverberating effects of cannon-fire,
architects designed an ingenious system to protect the light from
concussion. But the system’s effectiveness was never proven, as the
cannons were never fired.
Clark's Point Light became obsolete in 1898 when Butler Flats Light was
erected offshore. The abandoned lighthouse and fortress deteriorated when
vandalism and neglect took over. Then, in the 1990’s, the City of
New Bedford
unveiled an ambitious plan to restore historic lighthouses. Their first
two projects were at Butler Flats Light and Palmer Island Light.
Clark's Point received its much-needed attention in the winter months of
2000-2001. City crews rebuilt the upper portion of the lighthouse. Then,
on
June 15, 2001
(on the 132nd anniversary of the lighthouse’s first
illumination), the sentinel was re-lighted under the fanfare of fireworks,
cannon blasts and the "1812 Overture". The Fort Taber Historical
Association plans to establish a military museum and restore the grounds.
Our sculpture depicts
Clark's Point atop the rustic fort, with a crosscut view inside the interior
of the walls. Hidden inside are remnants of military occupancy -- maps,
supplies stored in crates and a wooden chest, a bunk bed, and torches to
illuminate the dark hallways.
|
HL# |
Name |
MSRP |
Introduced |
Retired |
Edition |
|
284 |
Clark's Point MA |
$65 |
Jun 02 |
|
5,000 |
|
