A tonnage tax of 1 penny per ton on all vessels, except coasters, moving in or out of Boston Harbor, paid for maintaining the light.

The pay of Keeper John Hayes was raised to £70 in 1718 so that he would not be obliged to entertain mariners on the island for extra money which he found " prejudicial to himself as well as to the town of Boston."

Hayes’ successor in 1734 was Robert Ball who petitioned the general court for preference in piloting vessels into the harbor.

On July 20, 1775, a small detachment of American troops under Major Voss visited the island and burned the wooden parts of the lighthouse.

On June 13, 1776, American soldiers landed on Long Island, Boston Harbor, and at Nantasket Hill and opened fire on this fleet.

Before sailing away, the British sent a boat ashore at Boston Light and left a time charge which blew up the lighthouse.

In 1893 the Massachusetts Institute of Technology sent 20 or 30 students to live on the island, while experiments were made with various types of foghorns in an endeavor to find one that would penetrate the area known as the "Ghost Walk" 6 or 7 miles (11 km) to the east.

Flinging a line aboard, they began the rescue of the half-frozen sailors, four times running the gauntlet of ice, rocks, and surf until all 24 men were saved.

Boston Light was automated in 1998, but was staffed by resident Coast Guard keeper, Sally Snowman until December 30, 2023.

[10] Its light, flashing white every 10 seconds, shines through the only second-order Fresnel lens still in use in Massachusetts (of only four total), and is visible from a distance of 27 nautical miles (50 km; 31 mi).