August 7: celebrate National Lighthouse Day!

3 min read

Originally written on August 7, 2021 – Updated 2023

Often used as metaphors, lighthouses are the beautiful towers that keep ships safe in the night.
A light that shines in the darkness to protect and alert sounds like something one would say about that friend or mentor whom helps us in the hardest of times, although on this day, it is not in that sense, but a reference to the silent bright guardians of our coastlines and ships.

Lighthouses represent a piece of history, that have comforted travelers for centuries, guiding them and keeping them safe.
While time has progressed and technology has changed, they remind us of some of the difficult voyages people went on in the past, providing hope to those looking for land while tackling the dark nights and stormy seas.
So, it is only right that annually we celebrate them on National Lighthouse Day.
And why on this day?
On August 7, 1789, the United States Congress approved an act for the “establishment and support of Lighthouse, Beacons, Buoys, and Public Piers”, and It was two hundred years later that Congress designated August 7 as National Lighthouse Day.

A lighthouse serves multiple purposes such as marking dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, and reefs providing safe entry to harbors.
Did you know that lighthouses provided a beacon of light even before we had electricity?
Originally, fires or burning coal were used to create the source of light in a lighthouse. Of course, this changed as time went on.
They then made the switch to oil-burning lamps, after which electric lamps were used in 1875.
Another thing that is really admirable is that they have stood the test of time, as they have had to weather a lot of storms, both the literal type and the metaphorical. From high winds to extreme weather conditions, as lighthouses are located in areas on cliffs and coasts that mean they need to take the very worst of the weather.
Not only this but despite the fact that technology has progressed and the need for a lighthouse is not the same as it once was, these structures still stand tall, often acting as the focal point for coastal villages and areas.
Moreover, you simply cannot deny the beauty of a lighthouse, right?
In their classic shape, they are cylindrical and an eye-catching red and white striped design but, in any case, they look beautiful amongst the surrounding bay or coastal area, adding plenty of character and tales of the past to the site.

Why not spend some time looking at some of the most picturesque lighthouses online?
Starting from those featured here, on Random-Times!
You will be amazed by the beauty you witness!