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National Resources

These sites allow visitors to explore lighthouse history and research large numbers of lighthouses at once. To plan a California lighthouse trip, Lighthouse Friends and Lighthouse Directory are the most comprehensive travel resources.

United States Lighthouse Society

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The US Lighthouse Society (USLHS) is a non-profit 501c3 historical and educational organization headquartered at the Point No Point Lighthouse in Washington State incorporated to educate, inform, and entertain those who are interested in lighthouses, past and present. In addition to running tours, fundraising, and fostering a national lighthouse community through activities such as the passport program, the society has an extensive online database of photos, interactive maps, light lists, and much more. 

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The American Lighthouse Foundation

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Its mission is to save and preserve America's historic light stations and their rich heritage, particularly in the New England Region. 

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Lighthouse Friends

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An up to date, easy to use site that provides photos (current and historic), directions, GPS coordinates, and history for United States and Canadian lighthouses. The directions are particularly useful in helping you to find your way to hundreds of lighthouses.

Lighthouse Directory

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Provides an alphabetical listing of over 400 U.S. lighthouses with historical background, directions to locate (including GPS coordinates) and photos. 

U.S Coast Guard

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Historic Light Stations: Lighthouses, Lightships, Tenders & Other Aids to Navigation Subjects. If you are researching lighthouses, the career of anyone who served with the Lighthouse Service or the Coast Guard or other related subject matter, documentation is available at a number of different locations. This site is a good place to start.

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Light List: This extensive publication from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security contains a list of all lights, sound signals, buoys, day beacons, and other aids to navigation in the United States.

General Lighthouse Information​

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Encyclopedia Brittanica: Textbook definition of a lighthouse

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HMY Yachts: This website provides additional links to lighthouse information, including explaining how lighthouses work and why they are important.

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Lighthous Friends
Lighthouse Directory
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