Buzzards Bay Entrance Light was the first of five, staffed, "Texas Tower" structures built off the Atlantic Coast. The tower was placed in operation in November 1961 to help mark the southern approach to the Cape Cod Canal. The
Buzzards Bay,
Hens & Chickens and
Vineyard Sound lightships had previously served to mark the area.
At 10:00 am on the morning of November 1, 1961, the Coast Guard Cutter Frederick Lee arrived at Buzzards Bay Entrance Light with coast guard officials, press reporters, and Joseph Perini, vice president of Perini Corporation that built the tower. High seas, whipped up by thirty-mile-an-hour winds, prevented the Frederick Lee from positioning itself alongside the tower, so a forty-foot patrol boat was sent from Cuttyhunk Island Lifeboat Station to transfer the visitors to and from the tower. Rear Admiral Chester L. Harding, Commander of the first Coast Guard District, headquartered at Boston, arrived via a Coast Guard helicopter at 10:50 am along with Rear Admiral James Alger, head of engineer for the Coast Guard, and Simons R. Sands. Captain Sands, Chief of Staff of the first district opened the commissioning ceremonies for Buzzards Bay Entrance Light at 11:00 am, and at 11:28, the station was official commissioned and Buzzards Bay lightship was relieved of duties. Ralph O. Morris served as the first Officer in Charge of the new station, but just weeks later he was placed in charge of Stonehorse Shoal lightship, and Lionel F. Crossman took over his duties at Buzzards Bay Entrance Light.
Buzzards Bay Entrance Light cost $950,000 to build and its deck house contained living quarters for a crew of seven along with a kitchen, recreation room, and space for machinery. The roof of the deck house served as a helicopter landing pad. Four steel legs were driven to bedrock, 268 feet below the surface of the water, which is sixty-one feet deep, to support the structure. The light was exhibited at a height of 117 feet above the water and served along with a foghorn and radiobeacon.
A second tower replaced the original one in 1996.
Keepers:
- Head: Ralph O. Morris (1961), Lionel F. Crossman (1961 – 1962), Jack B. Netherwood (1962), Robert A. Buotte (1962 – 1964), Joseph F. Burgess, Jr. (1964 – 1965), Lawrence R. Carr (1965 – 1966), Robert A. Cole (1966), Elias J. Martinez (1966 – 1968), Gerald F. Pickett (1968 – at least 1970).
- USCG: Thomas P. Mainville (1961 – 1963), Lawrence H. Bridges (1961), Robert H. Trudeau (1961), D.A. Brockwell (1961), James F. Schultz (1961 – 1962), Joseph T. Gilmartin (1961 – 1962), Antonio R. Costa (1962), R.S. Zaker (1962), J.C. Yates (1962 – 1964), Robert P. Goguen (1962), Mark A. McGuire (1962 – 1963), James M. Frye (1962 – 1963), Paul H. Johnson (1963), William J. Hutchins (1963 – 1966), Theodore C. Greer (1963 – 1965), Kenneth J. Zagst (1963 – 1965), William G. Paterson (1963 – 1964), Stephen G. Kite (1963 – 1967), Robert A. Cole (1964 – 1966), Joseph T. Faria (1964 – 1965), Walter R. Hutchinson (1965), Paul J. Ryder (1965 –1967), James A. Cormier (1965 – 1966), William H. Knight (1965 – 1966), Joseph F. Reynolds (1966), D.A. Hikade (1966), John J. Deloughery (1966), Douglas J. Germanson (1966 – 1968), Winston Bancroft (1966 – 1967), Leigh B. Macquarrie (1966 – 1967), Stephen J. Horvath (1967), Joseph Richardson (1967 – 1968), Charles J. Pomaski (1967 – 1968), Michael A. Alt (1967 – 1968), Richard E. Miner (1967 – 1969), Sherburne M. Valli (1967 – 1969), Daniel Breivozel (1968 – 1969), Andrew J. Stanzeski (1968 – 1970), J. Lyons (1968 – 1969), Gary C. Freund (1969 – 1970), David F. Hussey (1969 – 1970), R.R. Birkes (1969 – 1970), H.F. Moore, Jr. (1969 – at least 1971), Bill Hudgins (1970 – at least 1971), J.T. Jefferson (1970 – at least 1971), G.C. Talmage (1970 – at least 1971).