Palmer’s Island Lighthouse

“Palmer’s Island Lighthouse” black and white scrimshaw on ancient mammoth tusk ivory by Gerry Dupont. Nice touch adding the title on the top edge of the mammoth. 

Palmer’s Island Lighthouse
The 24-foot tall stone lighthouse was commissioned during the peak of the whaling era to guide ships into the harbor. It was first lit on August 30, 1849 using whale oil. Palmer’s Island Lighthouse is a central element of the City Seal designed in 1853, with the motto, Lucem Diffundo, meaning, I Diffuse Light , referring to the City’s dominance in the provision of whale oil for illumination. Upon completion of the Hurricane Barrier in 1966, the lighthouse was deemed obsolete and the City of New Bedford took over ownership in 1978.
The most famous lighthouse keeper was Arthur Small who served from 1922 until the Hurricane of 1938. During the Hurricane, Small was swept into the harbor and his wife Mabel attempted a rescue by row boat. Small survived the storm but his wife perished.