Pharos, 1854

March 7, 2021
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Pharos, 1854


Pharos is a small peninsula at Alexandria, Egypt upon which one of the seven wonders of the ancient world was built: the Pharos Lighthouse.  The lighthouse at Pharos stood in front of Alexandria's harbor. The lighthouse was built of white marble in 270 B.C. for 800 silver talents for Ptolemy Soter.  Its architect was Sostrates of Knidos.  The lighthouse stood for about 1500 years until it succumbed to earthquakes in 1303 and 1326.


Tender History:

The last sailing lighthouse tender to see service was the Pharos.  She was originally built as the private schooner H. H. Talman.  She was purchased for service on 30 April 1854 and was renamed Pharos.  She saw service as a supply tender in the 2nd Lighthouse District, delivering supplies along the east coast.  In 1873 she was sent to the 8th Lighthouse District.  She was then laid up for sale but that was cancelled and she was instead rebuilt and was assigned to the 5th Lighthouse District.  She transferred to the 6th Lighthouse District in 1890.

She was declared unseaworthy in 1907 and sold the following year.


Sources:

Douglas Peterson.  United States Lighthouse Service Tenders, 1840-1939. Annapolis: Eastwind Publishing, 2000.