Historic Cape Cod Lighthouses
Historic Cape Cod Lighthouses: Race Point
by James Claflin
(Kenrick A. Claflin & Son)
Historic Cape Cod Lighthouses: Race Point is the third in a series of booklets that tell the story of historic lighthouses and life-saving stations along the New England Coast. Two lighthouses have stood at Race Point on the tip of Cape Cod since the first was lit in 1816. In addition, other beacons were constructed at Wood End and on Long Point as additional aids to vessels approaching Provincetown harbor. With thousands of vessels plying the dangerous waters, the chance of a shipping disaster was always great. Hundreds of shipwrecks did indeed occur off the coast with startling losses. Using descriptive text and a variety of vintage images from private as well as museum collections, we get a rare glimpse into the history of the area and the lives of these dedicated government men and women. Author James Claflin combines an extensively researched text with his exquisite collection of vintage photographs, many previously unpublished, to tell the story of this important landmark.
Reviews
“Jim Claflin is well known to USLSSHA members as Board Member, Membership Chairperson, and as the foremost dealer in nautical antiques relating to the Life-Saving Service, Lighthouse Service, U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and the early Coast Guard. He is also an author of a number of books on northeastern U.S. maritime history on these subjects.
Jim’s two new books cover an aspect of Coast Guard history relating to two Massachusetts lighthouses: Sankaty and Race Point. Both books give overviews of lighthouse aids to navigation development, local history and, most importantly, historical information on light stations themselves. Lists of keepers, chronologies of significant dates, and carefully selected photographs provide good introduction to these two interesting lighthouses. I enjoyed both books very much and felt they were bargains given their very reasonable prices.
Mr. Claflin plans more such books in the future including one of Surfside Life-Saving Station on Nantucket Island. We certainly look forward to them.”
(Review from Wreck and Rescue
About James Claflin
Author James Claflin combines an extensively researched text with this exquisite collection of vintage photographs, many previously unpublished, to tell the story of this important landmark. James Claflin is a collector and dealer of fine nautical antiques, specializing in the U.S. Lighthouse Service, the U.S. Life-Saving Service, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Historic Cape Cod Lighthouses: Race Point celebrates the American heroes who served to warn, rescue, and protect those in distress as well as the richness of Cape Cod itself. It is sure to be enjoyed by residents of Cape Cod, as well as lovers of maritime history everywhere.
