The Butler Flats Lighthouse Slated For Auction August 1

NEW OWNERS MUST COMPLY WITH STRICT COVENANTS

Up for Sale: The Butler Flats Lighthouse - USCG Photo

By MLBaron 

 NEW BEDFORD:    The most prominent maritime fixture in New Bedford’s outer harbor will be sold at auction August 1. The GSA (General Services Administration) Boston office that is overseeing the sale has declared 4 lighthouses in Southern New England “not an operational necessity” surplus which includes the Butler Flats Lighthouse. “This is an opportunity for the right person (s) or organization to acquire a unique piece of local maritime history” said Patrick Sclafini, Public Affairs Officer for the GSA Region I. 

The Butler Flats Lighthouse - USCG Photo

     Built in 1898, the Butler Flats Lighthouse replaced the aging Clark’s Point Light that had been in service since 1804. It was designed by Francis Hopkinson Smith, who is also credited for designing the base for The Statue of Liberty. The “sparkplug” style lighthouse standing 53-feet above the water has a circular tank iron caisson base with an upper brick structure. There a four floors, with the lowest level for storage, the middle 2 floors, 37 feet in diameter are for living quarters and the upper floor is for the light operations and watch decks. The original Fresnel lense the (only 2 of it’s kind ever installed in the US) is now on display at The Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockport, Maine.. 

     Although it was obscure as to who actually owned the property, wether it was The City of New Bedford or the Federal Government., the GSA has made it clear that they own the property but did lease it to the city after it was decommissioned in 1978. Shortly afterwards, the Butler Flats Lighthouse became one of the first automated - solar powered lighthouses in the country.

     In 1979 the US Coast Guard granted a revocable license for use of the property by the city as a historic site and private ATON (Aid to Navigation). In 2012 the GSA issued a notice of availability pursuant to the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. There were 3 expressions of interest, none of which went any further in filing a formal application. 

     Arthur Motta, former Director of Tourism in the city expressed concern with the potential new owners of the property. Motta, an avid local historian has received numerous commendations for his efforts in the preservation of the Palmer’s Island and Butler Flats lighthouses along with the late Dr. John B. O’Toole. A strictly enforced covenant stipulating the historic preservation and appearance of the light house will be a standard part of the buyer/seller agreement according the auction sale web site listed at http://www.realestatesales.gov. Sale-Lot Number : BOSTON - 113-019-001. The opening bid starts at $25,000.


     (Author’s Note:) If only the Butler Flats Lighthouse could tell it’s story. It would recall how it has seen countless ships of all kinds enter and depart New Bedford Harbor from Whale ships, fishing vessels that evolved from sail to motor, from wood to steel, ships of war, and many vessels and crew that passed it by never to return to port again. It greeted The USS Constitution in 1933 and bid a sad good-bye to The Charles W. Morgan in November 1941. 

     It has endured through the most severe weather nature could throw at it, from nameless nor’easters, to the pounding waves and winds of The Hurricanes of 1938, 1944, Carol 1954, Donna 1960, Gloria 1985, Hurricane Bob 1991 and many other powerful storms. Most old lighthouses can tell similar stories but this one is ours, an indelible place in the hearts of local generations of fishermen, seafarers and beach goers alike. One can only hope that The Butler Flats Lighthouse that has faithfully served our mariners will continue to shine it’s light for another 115 years.

There are a few web sites on the history of Butler Flats Lighthouse including one at this link: http://www.lighthouse.cc/butler/history.html