Missing Mass. Lighthouse Found -- In California

The historic lighthouse of Wellfleet, Massachusetts had mysteriously disappeared in 1925. Recently, an intrepid researcher uncovered its unlikely location.

1 minute read

June 5, 2008, 5:00 AM PDT

By Tim Halbur


"File it under lost and found in a big way.

Long thought gone forever, a Cape Cod lighthouse that once overlooked Wellfleet Harbor was recently rediscovered almost 3,000 miles away on a rocky Californian cliff.The story has always been that that little 30-foot lighthouse in Wellfleet was taken down and destroyed," said Jim Walker, chairman of the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. "Here we are 80 some odd years later and it's been discovered. I think it's fantastic that it's not lost and gone."

The fate of the 30-foot-tall, cast-iron tower that stood at Mayo's Beach until 1925 was uncovered late last year by lighthouse researchers digitally archiving historic photographs.

Colleen MacNeney, whose parents, Bob and Sandra Shanklin have photographed every lighthouse in the United States, reported the find in this month's edition of Lighthouse Digest.

"This is the most exciting thing that I've found," MacNeney said in a telephone interview from Florida yesterday."

Wednesday, June 4, 2008 in Cape Cod Times

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 16, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Overlapping highways

The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin

People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.

September 8, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

The Hoover Dam blocking the Colorado River. The river's water level is noticeably low. The cliffs surrounding the blue water are brown and jagged.

US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.

September 11, 2026 - The Arizona Republic

A coal power plant in Iowa billows smoke into the air.

Nation's most wind-powered state turns to coal as data centers increase energy demand

For the first time in decades, Iowa has increased its generation of coal power.

3 seconds ago - Inside Climate News

A sign on a fence describing the rain garden behind it.

NYC cools commuters with city's first rain garden above a bus stop

New York City officials say the plants in the rain garden can absorb 16 gallons of rainwater during heavy storms.

1 hour ago - Gothamist

A map showing Brightline West's intended route from  Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan

The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.

2 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.