Every lighthouse in the world has its own light signal. Nautical charts are kept on ships and today on the internet. The Edgartown lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard has a signal of six, red flashing lights. It is solar powered today.
To sail past the lighthouse in the fog, rain, wind and in the dark is the way to fully appreciate its beacon. It is definitely a signal to sailors of hope for safety and home.
I have lived near the lighthouse most of my long life. One summer I was asked to give history tours there. I did that for several years. If not givi
ng a tour I spent time guiding parents searching for the cobblestone that included their child’s name. The name of a child gone too soon.
My high school classmate Rick Harrington began the children’s memorial at the lighthouse after the death of his son. Rick created this gift in 1995 out of grief, to share with the community. Today, there are hundreds of cobblestones at the base of the lighthouse, each one representing a child’s life and located in the most beautiful setting in the world. The memorial is unique to any other lighthouse that I know of.
Sadly, I also have a stone there with my child’s name on it, since 2016. I now understand why it took many parents so long to visit their child’s stone, as they told me, apologetically.
I also understand the mother who said to her husband: “Yes, I will be fine I just want to sit with Johnny for a while longer.”
I now visit with my son Charles a little bit longer while listening to the waves and the seagulls. I call it his “summer home” and tell him that I hope he is singing to the children’s spirits who are there.
Each year, Rick holds a memorial gathering there, where names, new and old, are called out by friends and family. It is my wish that you share this idea with your community.
At the lighthouse, I can breathe and smile again knowing that my son’s spirit belongs where it is free, and knowing that he has a “summer home” next to a lighthouse and me.
Anne Nevin lives in West Tisbury.
This article appears in June 19, 2026.
What a touching article. Lighthouses hold a special place in my heart. Symbolic of much of life. Making one a resting place for children is such a beautiful idea. Thank you for sharing about your son’s summer home.