Through gorgeous photography, this book celebrates these unique and magnificent beacons and their history. The construction of lighthouses began as this new nation s first public-works project in 1789 and established the United States as a maritime world power by making ports safe for navigation. These structures many still active and serving their original purpose even in the era of global positioning systems are living museums, yet they often prove difficult to access for visitors due to their necessary remoteness. From Maine s West Quoddy Head on the easternmost headlands to the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and the West Coast lighthouses from New Point Loma to New Dungeness and Michigan s Grand Haven Pier Lighthouse, the images here will delight both the armchair traveler and those who have taken the back roads or trekked across sandy beaches to visit these special and often artful buildings. This is a great gift for lovers of lighthouses, boaters, and those who live or dream of living on the seashore.