Highland Light in North Truro, Massachusetts, is Cape Cod’s oldest and tallest lighthouse and still serves as an active aid to navigation under the United States Coast Guard. First established in 1797 under authorization by George Washington, it began as Cape Cod’s first light and was rebuilt several times, with the present brick tower dating to 1857. Its powerful equipment once made it the strongest light on the east coast, and the station was repeatedly modernized through automation and newer optical systems. In 1996, after erosion threatened the cliffside site, the tower was moved 450 feet inland, preserving this historic light within the Cape Cod National Seashore.