Historic masonry and lighthouse restoration on Massachusetts' North Shore by Martin J. Nally: trusted by the U.S. Coast Guard and featured in The Boston Globe.
For more than thirty years, Marty Nally has been the mason New England calls when the work really matters: lighthouse towers battered by the North Atlantic, landmark homes in Beverly Farms, and the old stone walls and seawalls of Cape Ann.
Period-correct materials and traditional methods, with the same care for a 19th-century lighthouse tower or the wall at the end of your drive.
Restoration of lighthouse towers, keepers' houses and coastal structures, including more than 20 projects for the U.S. Coast Guard.
→Preservation of period homes, estates and landmarks with lime mortar, matched stone and brick.
→Seawalls, jetties and waterfront stonework built to stand up to tide, storm surge and salt.
→Dry-laid and mortared fieldstone and granite walls, built new or rebuilt to match a century of history.
→Chimney rebuilds, crowns and flashing, plus custom stone and brick fireplaces that draw well and last.
→Proper repointing, foundation repair and stone replacement that stops water without harming old masonry.
→Granite steps, bluestone patios and cobblestone drives built for coastal New England weather.
→Condition assessments of failing walls, towers and foundations for owners, architects and preservation groups.
→Few masons are trusted with a lighthouse. These towers take salt, ice, wind and constant freeze-thaw, and restoring them takes engineering judgment, historical accuracy and hand skill. Some jobs meant replacing thousands of bricks by hand; one meant flying materials out to an island by helicopter.
| No. | Light | Location | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bakers Island Light Station Essex Heritage · 2025 | Salem, MA | Restoration of the island light station, including full interior repointing of the tower and rebuilding three chimneys on the keepers' houses. |
| 02 | Annisquam Harbor Light 2000 | Gloucester, MA | Brick tower restoration at the mouth of the Annisquam River, with roughly 3,000 bricks replaced by hand. |
| 03 | Point Judith Light Site supervisor | Narragansett, RI | U.S. Coast Guard restoration of a soft brownstone tower, one of the hardest materials on the coast to restore. |
| 04 | Brant Point Light Site supervisor | Nantucket, MA | U.S. Coast Guard restoration of one of the most recognizable lights in New England. |
You have to use your brain. If you don't, you're going to get in trouble.Marty Nally · The Boston Globe, 2018
Marty always wanted to do it the right way. He didn't take shortcuts.U.S. Coast Guard inspector · Northshore Magazine
Martin J. "Marty" Nally learned masonry from his father, a mason who came over from Ireland.
Over more than 30 years he has become the preservation mason New England calls when the work matters: about 20 lighthouse projects for the U.S. Coast Guard, landmark homes in Beverly Farms and Manchester-by-the-Sea, and old walls and seawalls across Cape Ann.
His work has been featured in The Boston Globe and Northshore Magazine, and he still leads restoration work today, including the 2025 Bakers Island Light project for Essex Heritage.
Every job still gets the same thing: hands-on craftsmanship, respect for old stone, and work built to last another hundred years.
We walk the property with you, look at the existing masonry and talk through what you want.
A clear explanation of what's needed and what isn't, with a written proposal.
Traditional methods and matched materials, with Marty on site.
Work that holds up to coastal New England weather for generations.
Based in Manchester-by-the-Sea and serving Cape Ann and the North Shore. For significant restoration and lighthouse work, we travel throughout New England.
We're always looking for hardworking people who take pride in their work. Experienced or just starting out, if you want to learn real restoration masonry on some of the most historic structures in New England, we'd like to hear from you.
Tell us a little about the work and we'll set up a time to come see it.