Pastel on Paper - 24"x 18"
Palmer Island Lighthouse sits on six-acre Palmer Island, in the Acushnet River on the west side of the entrance to New Bedford Harbor. This harbor has been the scene of great heroism and tragedy, and its lighthouse was once considered one of New England's most picturesque. The 24-foot tower was built of rubble stone, with wooden windows and floors. A walkway connected the lighthouse to the higher part of the island. Palmer's Island Light was first lit on August 30, 1849 by William Sherman, (the first keeper) burning lamp with whale oil. I painted this from a photograph I took, from Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, MA. , the city of New Bedford located across the harbor makes up the background. Fort Phoenix is a national landmark and the site of the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War, on May 14, 1775. From the ramparts remnants, one can gaze across the bay where the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought, to the rolling meadows of the Elizabeth Islands.
