United States lightship Nantucket (LV-112)

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Lightship No. 112, Nantucket
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
Location: Boston, MA
Built/Founded: 1936[2]
Architect: Pusey & Jones
Added to NRHP: December 20, 1989
Designated NHL: December 20, 1989 [3]
NRHP Reference#: 89002464 [1]
Career (United States) 100x35px
Name: Nantucket Lightship LV112
Operator: United States Lighthouse Service (1936–1939)
United States Coast Guard (1939–1983)
Nantucket Lightship Preservation Inc. (1986–Present)
Builder: Pusey & Jones
Cost: $300,956
Launched: 1936
In service: 1936
Out of service: 1983
Honors and
awards:
Declared National Historic Landmark in 1989
Fate: Floating museum
General characteristics
Type: Lightvessel
Displacement: 1050
Length: 148 feet 10 inches (45.36 m)
Beam: 32 feet (9.8 m)
Draft: 16 feet 3 inches (4.95 m)
Speed: 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Armament: One 3-inch (76 mm) gun (1942–1945)

The United States lightship Nantucket (LV-112), also known as Lightship No. 112, Nantucket, is a National Historic Landmark lightship that served at Lightship Nantucket position. It was the last serving lightship and at time of NHL application, one of only two capable of moving under their own power.[2]

Her $300,000 cost, greater than that of any predecessor, was paid for by the White Star Line in compensation for the collision and sinking of a prior lightship at the Nantucket lightship position by the RMS Olympic, a sister ship to the Titanic.[2] Seven of 11 staffing the lightship were killed. LV-112, the permanent replacement, was built to be indestructible, and outlasted all others, serving until 1983.[2]

She was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1989. At that time the ship was primarily located in Maine, but touring along the New England Coast. An organization was seeking a permanent home for it in Portland, Maine.[2]

She later was planned to be located permanently in Staten Island, New York but sojourned for several years at Oyster Bay, New York. Some controversy has arisen over damage to wharves and unsightliness at Oyster Bay; other locals have wanted her retained there.[4][5] [6]

She was purchased in October 2009 by Robert Mannino, Jr. for $1 and arrived under tow in Boston Harbor on May 11, 2010. Mannino hopes to restore her and convert her into a museum.[7]

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23. http://www.nr.nps.gov/. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 James P. Delgado (June 30, 1989). National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Lightship No. 112, "Nantucket"PDF (507 KB). National Park Service.  and Accompanying photos, exterior and interior, from 1989 and c.1930PDF (1.09 MB)
  3. "LIGHTSHIP NO. 112 (Nantucket)". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. 2007-09-15. http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=2089&ResourceType=Structure. 
  4. "Lightship Nantucket Told to Leave" in Oyster Bay Enterprise-Pilot, March 10, 2006
  5. "LONG ISLAND/OYSTER BAY; Mutiny in the Harbor: One Ship Too Many", New York Times, June 4, 2006, By LINDA F. BURGHARDT.
  6. "Supervisor may want to keep lightship afloat" January 10, 2007. New York Newsday.
  7. Schworm, Peter (May 12, 2010). "Oldest US lightship comes home to Boston". The Boston Globe (Boston): B1, B6. 

Additional reading

External links

Coordinates: 40°52′39″N 73°32′22″W / 40.877618°N 73.539315°W / 40.877618; -73.539315