The History Of Lighthouses

We all love to look at lighthouses. One of the reasons for this strange love is because they bring us some form of security. They give us that sense that someone who cares is watching over us and cares deeply that we arrive safely from our voyage.

It is definitely fascinating to find out how these towers of light came to be. It is reported that in ancient days a fire would be placed upon a platform so as to guide ships at sea. This practice led to the creation of a lighthouse.

It is unclear when the first lighthouse was erected but archaeologists and historians both point out to Egypt as their birthplace. However, The first-ever fully functioning lighthouses were built by the Romans. They built a lighthouse called “Hercules” and it still functions to this day. For those that love pictures of lighthouses, Familywalls.co.uk can provide you with the best wallpaper to put in your newly renovated homes.

As maritime trade grew around the world the United States Of America created “the U.S Establishment” so that the federal government could control the quality of lighthouses made and avoid having inferior products. This initiative gave rise to over 1000 lighthouses being erected by the year 1900. Due to this initiative, around 120 lighthouses were built in Michigan making it the state with the most lighthouses in the U.S.

Lighthouses have used a lot of substances as illuminates over the years. At first, fire was used then engineers moved to other more efficient substances such as whale oil, Kerosene and coal. The Statue of Liberty became the first-ever electricity-powered lighthouse. This colossal structure has garnered the love and respect of people from all nations and it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.