Lighthouses of Liberia

The Republic of Liberia is a nation on the southern curve of the West African coast between Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. The country was founded in 1822 as a refuge for freed American slaves, although only about 15,000 slaves were returned as residents. Organized as a republic in 1847, Liberia is the only West African nation that was never colonized. Sadly, a bitter and tragic civil war tore the country apart from 1989 to 2003. A UN peacekeeping force aided reconstruction from 2003 to 2018. Port facilities at Monrovia were rebuilt by the UN Joint Logistics Centre.

The coastline of Liberia has only a few natural harbors. Monrovia has always been the major port. In the 1950s a second port was established at Buchanan for the shipment of iron ore, although these operations ceased in the 1990s. Efforts are being made to redevelop both ports.

In early 2007 the lighthouses were inspected to assess what would be needed to restore them to service. However, little was done and in June 2012 a visiting team from the International Maritime Organization reported that lighthouse restoration was "one of the major challenges facing the maritime sector of Liberia." Restoration and operation are the responsibility of the Liberia Maritime Authority.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Online List of Lights - Liberia
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
World of Lighthouses - Liberia
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Afrikanische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Cape Mesurado Light
Mamba Point (Cape Mesurado) Light, Monrovia, 2008
Liberia Maritime Authority photo by Capt. Armett E. Hill

Lighthouses
* Cape Palmas (4?)
Date unknown (station established 1847). Inactive but listed by NGA with focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 16 s. 22 m (72 ft) masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery red. The photo at right was posted in 2021, Justus Wendell has a 2008 photo, a 2008 closeup and a 2010 photo of the gallery are available, Gerard Schut has a 2014 photo and a view taken from atop the tower, Chipo Nyambuya visited the lighthouse in 2005 and contributed a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The history of this light station is poorly known. The U.S. Library of Congress has a distant photo of a round tower dated 1849-50. German Wikipedia has an 1885 sketch of a square tower, and there is also an 1887 photo of that tower. A 1904 light list describes the lighthouse as destroyed, but a 1920 light list describes a square tower. The tower in the lower right of Nyambuya's photo might also be an earlier lighthouse. The lighthouse was abandoned for many years but it reappreared for a few years recently on the Admiralty list. Cape Palmas was the area of the first American slave resettlement, sent out from Maryland in 1834. The International Hydrographic Organization lists Cape Palmas as the western limit of the Gulf of Guinea. Located on a promontory at Harper (also called Maryland). Site open, tower apparently open but may be dangerous. ARLHS LIB-001; ex-Admiralty D3116; NGA 24760.
Greenville North Point
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 11 m (36 ft); two flashes every 11 s, white or red depending on direction. 11 m (36 ft) tower. No photo available but the shadow of the tower is seen in Bing's satellite view. Greenville is a small port about 240 km (150 mi) southeast of Monrovia. Located on the north side of the harbor. Site status unknown. Admiralty D3115; NGA 24758.
Buchanan Main Breakwater (2)
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) skeletal tower. At extreme zoom the light is barely visible in a 2025 view across the harbor. Google has an indistinct satellite view. NGA describes a white concrete tower. Buchanan is the third largest city of Liberia; it is a fishing port and also ships iron ore. Located at the end of the south (main) breakwater of Buchanan harbor, a short distance southeast of Grand Bassa Point. Site status unknown. Admiralty D3112.4; NGA 24740.
Buchanan North Breakwater (Commercial Quay) (2)
Date unknown. Inactive; listed with focal plane 8 m (26 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) skeletal tower. The light is on the left in a 2025 view across the harbor and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This light replaced a square cylindrical white concrete tower seen in a distant 2008 photo. Located at the end of the north breakwater of Buchanan harbor, a short distance southeast of Grand Bassa Point. Site status unknown. Admiralty D3112.6; NGA 24744.

Cape Palmas Light, Harper, posted July 2021
Facebook photo posted by Spotlight Liberia
Grand Bassa Point (Buchanan) (1?)
Date unknown (station established 1906). Inactive for many years; charted as a landmark. Approx. 10 m (33 ft) round masonry tower, unpainted. Gerard Schut has a 2014 photo (also seen at right), a 2023 aerial view is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse was replaced by a 24 m (79 ft) skeletal tower, painted with yellow and orange horizontal bands; this tower is currently listed with focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white or red light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. However, Maritime Affairs Commissioner John Morlu stated in January 2008 that the more recent lighthouse "does not exist" and a new one would have to be built. Schut's view of the point from the sea confirms this statement. Located on a rocky reef projecting from Grand Bassa Point, a prominent cape on the south side of Buchanan. Part of the point is eroding, but it should be possible to reach the lighthouse, at least at low tide. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS LIB-004; ex-Admiralty D3112; NGA 24724.
Cape Mesurado (Mamba Point, Ducor Hill, Monrovia) (2)
Date unknown (around 1900; station established 1855). Inactive; listed by NGA with focal plane 85 m (279 ft); white flash every 6 s. 12 m (39 ft) cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted yellow, lantern red. The photo at the top of this page is from a Bureau of Maritime Affairs document posted in 2008 but no longer online. Gerard Schut has a 2014 photo and a 2010 photo (first photo on the page) is available. The lighthouse is centered in Bing's satellite view but in Google's satellite view the lighthouse is completely hidden by trees. Huelse has historic postcard views of the original lighthouse, a square masonry tower, and of the present lighthouse. Cape Mesurado is the promontory on which Monrovia, Liberia's capital, is built. In 2007 the Liberian government was seeking funds to reactivate the lighthouse, and apparently there may have been some progress in this effort, although the Admiralty reported the light to be "temporarily" extinguished in early 2011. The lack of recent photos is troubling. Located atop a hill at Mamba Point, the northwestern point of the cape. Site status unknown, but probably open; tower closed. ARLHS LIB-002; ex-Admiralty D3105; NGA 24696.

Grand Bassa Point Light, Buchanan, June 2014
Google Maps photo by Gerard Schut
Monrovia Entrance Range Front (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous red light. 16 m (52 ft) slender skeletal tower. Victor Favor Logan has a distant 2022 view and Google has a satellite view. These lights appear to be modern; based on the photos both towers may be taller than their listed heights. Located at the waterfront of Monrovia's commercial harbor. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D3108; NGA 24708.
Monrovia Entrance Range Rear (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft); continuous red light. 19 m (62 ft) slender skeletal tower. David Hne Brownell has a 2022 street view and Google has a satellite view. NGA lists a light on a water tower but no such tower exists. Located in Monrovia's commercial harbor area 340 m (1100 ft) east southeast of the front light. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D3108.1; NGA 24712.
Monrovia South Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 3 s on, 7 s off. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) square skeletal tower. No photo available but Bing has a satellite view. Located on the long south breakwater enclosing the harbor of Monrovia. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D3107; NGA 24700.
Monrovia North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 4 s. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) round tower painted red with a white horizontal band. Garbis Dionysios has a video clip (a portion is seen at right) and a view from the sea, and Bing has a satellite view. Located on the long north breakwater enclosing the harbor of Monrovia. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D3106; NGA 24704.

North Breakwater Light, Monrovia, July 2022
Initial frame of Google Maps video by Garbis Dionysios

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Sierra Leone | East: Côte d'Ivoire

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Posted September 9, 2005. Checked and revised May 24, 2025. Lighthouses: 10. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.