A short history of Bird Island by Isaac Perry, Chairman, Bird Island Restoration
Charles Bradley, Past Chairman
Bird Island Lighthouse was authorized for construction in 1819. It is located on a small island in Buzzards Bay in outer Marion Harbor on the southeast coast of Massachusetts. Buzzards Bay was an important shipping destination in the early days. Lumber was an important cargo shipped south out of Marion and other coastal towns. In the same year, Tremont Nail started manufacturing cut nails in Wareham, Massachusetts. They became the largest producer of nails and shipped them all over the world. (Although they have moved, they are still in business.) Coal was also an important commodity delivered to the coastal towns. Bird Island Light also guided ships to the upper reaches of Buzzards Bay to a trading post called Aptucxet. Aptucxet was also an import source of salt needed to preserve food for the journey south. There, cargo was unloaded and carried across Cape Cod to be reloaded on ships headed north for Boston. The opposite was true. Cargo from the north was reloaded on schooners headed south.
Due to its location, Bird Island succumbed to many serious storms, the worst being the Hurricane of 1938. The sea water rose to about 15 feet over the island. The house, oil shed, bell tower and boat house were swept off the island. Fortunately the lighthouse remained. The light was decommissioned in 1935 and remained so until 1996 when a committee was formed to restore the light. On July 4, 1997, Charles Bradley, Keeper and Chairman of the Bird Island Restoration Committee, relit the light. It became visible in most of Buzzards Bay after 62 years of darkness.
Bird Island is also important environmentally for its population of nesting terns. From April to September more than 3500 pairs of terns nest on the island. This is 25 percent of the total North American population of federally-endangered roseate terns and 20 percent of all the Massachusetts common terns that are state-listed of special concern. The birds on the island have been the subject of research for more than 30 years.
Marion Harbor (AKA Sippican Harbor) is very busy for both sail and power boats. Numerous boating races begin and end here. The white stone tower of the light is a welcoming site for many from all over the world.
The Town is planning a 200th anniversary for the lighthouse on Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 4:00 PM. It will be held at the Marion Music Hall, 164 Front Street, Marion, MA 02738. Tickets are $15 each. We will have a beautiful limited edition 2-sided coin for sale to commemorate the anniversary and to help raise funds for ongoing maintenance. The celebration will include speakers to share some local history and a very special presentation. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
NOTE: The beautiful, limited edition commemorative coins will be available for purchase at the Marion Town Hall Harbormasters office, 2 Spring Street, Marion, MA 02738. The cost is $20.00. They can also be purchased by mail. Mail a check for $25.00, which will cover postage and handling, to the address above. Make checks payable to “Town of Marion”. All proceeds will help us maintain this historic lighthouse. Any donation will be greatly appreciated. For more information please contact Donna Hemphill at 508-748-3515 or dhemphill@marion.gov