Winter Island Light

Winter Island Light, also called Fort Pickering Light, is a historic lighthouse in Salem’s Winter Island Park, next to the remains of eighteenth-century Fort Pickering. It was built in 1871 alongside Derby Wharf Light in Salem and Hospital Point Light in Beverly, so that ships passing Baker’s Island could line up the lights and find their way safely into Salem Harbor at any hour. Visitors can see the tower’s exterior from the park.

The tower is built of iron lined with brick and originally stood slightly offshore, painted red, with a walkway to land. In 1934 the Coast Guard put up an airplane hangar on Winter Island, and its Air Station Salem became the first Air-Sea Rescue station on the eastern seaboard in 1944. When the Coast Guard left in 1969, the light was replaced by a buoy and fell into disrepair until local citizens and businesses organized to restore it.

What to Know

• The Fort Pickering Light Association relit the lighthouse in 1983 as a private aid to navigation.
• A 1999 community development block grant paid for further restoration.
• Harbor cruises and tours offer good views of the lighthouse from the water.
• The Friends of Winter Island now guide preservation of the island’s historic resources.