National Lighthouse Day HistoryNational Lighthouse Day commemorates the 1789 act that approved the establishment of lighthouses. Lighthouses are towers that use circulating lights to guide ships safely at sea. They also use fog signals such as horns, bells, or cannons that sound in order to assist boats in avoiding hazards at sea. This observance was originated by former Senator of Rhode Island, John Hubbard Chafee in 1988. National Lighthouse Day References and Related Sitesadventure.howstuffworks.com: What are Lighthouses www.lighthousefoundation.org: Origin of Observance