Chatham Lighthouse and Chatham Break

"Fun with the Family"

Chatham Light sits across from a small parking lot, several sets of coin-operated binoculars, and a breathtaking view of the Chatham Break. The break was formed during a ferocious winter storm in 1987, when storm-pounded waves broke through the barrier beach that stretches south from Nauset Beach, forming a separate island (now called South Beach) and a break in the barrier that had protected Chatham’s harbor and coastline from the full brunt of the Atlantic. The break is a spectacular example of the power of weather, wind, and ocean.
The present structure is one of a pair of towers that was built in 1877 (the light’s twin was moved to Nauset in 1923). Chatham’s original lighthouses were built in 1808. Heavy erosion, which is still a problem in Chatham, forced the Coast Guard to move the lights back from the coast to the spot where the light stands today. Chatham Light flashes two times every ten seconds.