[4][5] Founded in 1983 by Wayne Wheeler and initially headquartered in San Francisco, California, one of the United States Lighthouse Society's first major projects was the purchase of the lightship LV605 in 1986 from a private individual.

[6] The society relocated from California to Hansville, Washington in 2008, siting its headquarters at the historic Point No Point Lighthouse, which it restored and leased from Kitsap County (the county has a long term license from the U.S. Coast Guard to keep the site open as a park).

[7][8] In 2009 the U.S. Lighthouse Society was recognized as a "Preserve America Steward," one of the first 11 cultural and historic organizations designated to receive the Bureau of Land Management-sponsored award in recognition of "a successful use of volunteer time and commitment.

A third quarterly publication, Lighthouse Bulletin, chronicles society activities and is distributed in PDF format via email.

Destinations include eastern Michigan, Massachusetts, Maine, the Outer Banks, Long Island, and along the St. Lawrence River.