Maine Lighthouses

The rugged, deeply indented coast of Maine has more than 60 lighthouses. This list has 69 (not counting the stump of the old tower at Whaleback Ledge). At least 54 of the lights are active.

Lighthouse preservation is very strong in Maine, as evidenced by the large number of local preservation societies and trusts. The Maine Lights program, passed by Congress in 1996, led to the transfer of 28 lighthouses from the Coast Guard to local preservation groups or other agencies and served as a model for the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000. Except for eight privately-owned towers, all but a handful of Maine's lighthouses now have local support groups. In addition, two powerful national forces for lighthouse preservation, the American Lighthouse Foundation and Lighthouse Digest magazine, are based in Maine.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volumes H and J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Vol. I of the USCG Light List.

What's Hot:

ALF secures license to manage Owl's Head Light

Dyce Head Light will be reactivated

Isle au Haut Keeper's House Inn for sale for $2.5M

Plans for restoration of Cuckolds Light advance

Whaleback Ledge needs an owner with deep pockets

Town seeks FEMA help for repairs at Nubble Light

Lowe's Foundation grants $50K to restore Pemaquid Point Light

Pumpkin Island Light, Penobscot Bay
photo from New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide
copyright Jeremy D'Entremont; used by permission

General Sources
New England Lighthouses: A Virtual Guide - Maine: Extensive data, historical accounts, and photos for all of the lighthouses.
Maine Lighthouses: Photos of Maine lighthouses from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com site.
Lighthouses of Maine: From Lighthouse Getaway (Bill Britten, University of Tennessee): excellent photos and brief accounts of many of the lighthouses.
Lighthouses in Maine: Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.

Washington County Lighthouses
Whitlock's Mill: 1910. Active; focal plane 32 ft (10 m); green light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 25 ft (7.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; 250 mm lens (1969). Lighthouse painted white, lantern painted black. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Original 2-story stucco keeper's house. Original square pyramidal wood bell tower (bell removed) and brick oil house. The interior of the tower is lined with ceramic tile, an unusual feature. The tower was transferred to the St. Croix Historical Society under the Maine Lights program in 1998. The keeper's house has been a private residence since the 1970s; it was sold in late 2004 or early 2005, and the new owners have restored the building. Located on the south bank of the St. Croix River about 3 miles (5 km) east of Calais; Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. Site and tower closed, but the light can be viewed at a distance from a roadside park on US 1. Tower owner: St. Croix Historical Society. Site manager: private. ARLHS USA-890; Admiralty H4138; USCG 1-0985.
[St. Croix Island (2)]: 1976(?) (station established 1857). Active; focal plane 101 ft (31 m); white flash every 2.5 s. Steel skeletal tower with the light on a platform at the top. No current photo available. The historic 1857 lighthouse (rebuilt in 1901) was destroyed by fire in 1976. A 1-story boathouse, painted white, is all that survives of the station. Scene of a French settlement in 1604-05, the island became a national park in 1984. The 400th anniversary of the French settlement was celebrated in 2004. As part of improvements to the park, the National Park Service restored the landing and boathouse, but the oil house was demolished. Located on St. Croix (Dochet) Island in the St. Croix River about 3 miles (5 km) north of Robbinston. Accessible only by boat; visible from a mainland visitor center off US 1 six miles (10 km) south of Calais and from the Canadian visitor center on the east bank. Site open. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: St. Croix Island International Historic Site. ARLHS USA-792; Admiralty H4134; USCG 1-0950.
Lubec Channel: 1890. Active; focal plane 53 ft (16 m); white flash every 6 s. 40 ft (12 m) sparkplug style round cast iron tower with lantern and three galleries, mounted on a concrete caisson, tower incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters. Solar-powered 155 mm lens (1985). Tower painted white, lantern black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s); the original fog bell is on display at the Lubec Historical Society Museum. Tom Mitchell has a nice photo, Anderson has fine photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. A local "Save the Sparkplug" campaign saved the light from demolition in 1989. A $700,000 renovation by the Coast Guard in 1993-94 stabilized and restored the lighthouse, although the tower still leans at a 6° angle. In 2001 the lighthouse was repainted and repaired. In 2006 the lighthouse was offered for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Located in the Lubec Channel south of Lubec. Accessible only by boat. Views from downtown Lubec and from many points on the shoreline nearby. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-459; Admiralty H4161; USCG 1-0860.

Little River (2): 1876 (station established 1847). Reactivated (inactive 1975-2001); focal plane 57 ft (17.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 41 ft (12.5 m) "Race Point" round cylindrical cast iron tower (brick lined) with lantern and gallery; VRB-25 aerobeacon. Tower painted white; lantern is gray. 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house (1888) under restoration. Brick oil house (1905). Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Original fog bell tower demolished, but the bell is on display on ME 191 in Cutler. Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. The lighthouse was deactivated and replaced by a steel skeletal tower in 1975. In early 2000, the deteriorating light station was leased by the American Lighthouse Foundation, and the Friends of Little River Light was organized. During 2001, the lighthouse was painted, the lantern windows were reglazed and caulked, and the wood in the lantern interior was replaced; this allowed the Coast Guard to return the light to the tower. In 2002 the lighthouse was transferred to ALF ownership and restoration of the keeper's quarters was underway. An August 2005 progress report is available. In 2006 Coast Guard volunteers painted the lighthouse. Thanks to all this restoration work, the lighthouse has been removed from the Doomsday List. Located on an island in the mouth of Cutler Harbor. Accessible only by boat; Bold Coast Charters operates boat tours out of Cutler. Site closed in spring and early summer (bird nesting season) but open after July 15, tower closed. Owner: American Lighthouse Foundation. Site manager: Friends of Little River Light. ARLHS USA-442; Admiralty H4164; USCG 1-1075.
Libby Island: 1822. Active; focal plane 91 ft (28 m); 2 white flashes every 20 s. 42 ft (13 m) old-style round granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small workroom; solar-powered VRB-25 optic. A 4° Macbeth-Evans Fresnel lens believed to have been used here is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Tower unpainted, lantern painted black; workroom is white with a red roof. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). Keeper's houses demolished; the brick fog signal building (1884) and oil house (1893) survive. Maine's third oldest lighthouse got off to a rough start: it collapsed due to poor construction and had to be rebuilt in 1824. In 2000, the Coast Guard removed paint from the tower, revealing the original granite; a boat landing and a retaining wall were repaired and the light was converted to solar power. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, Anderson has photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on an island in the mouth of Machias Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. ARLHS USA-432; Admiralty J0024; USCG 1-1120.
Moose Peak (Mistake Island) (2): 1851 (station established 1827). Active; focal plane 72 ft (22 m); white flash every 30 s. 57 ft (17.5 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered DCB-24 aerobeacon. Tower painted white, lantern and watch room black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). The keeper's house was demolished in 1982 in a military demolition exercise; the lighthouse was slightly damaged in the explosion. Brick fog signal building (1912). Marinas.com has aerial photos. This lighthouse resembles the Sankaty Head MA Light; it is one of the first "early classic" style masonry towers. The height of the tower was increased in 1886 by adding a watch room below the lantern. Prisms of the 2° Fresnel lens (1856) have been restored by volunteers from the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society. The lens was to be displayed at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, but the hardware needed to assemble the lens has not been located. Lighthouse refurbished and converted to solar power in 1999. Located on Mistake Island, a small island about 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Jonesport. The island is a nature preserve, but day visitors are welcome if they stay on the boardwalk to the lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Maine Nature Conservancy (Great Wass Island Preserve). ARLHS USA-513; Admiralty J0028; USCG 1-1390.
Nash Island (2): 1873 (station established 1838). Inactive since 1982. 29 ft (9 m) square pyramidal brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small brick workroom; buildings painted white, lantern and gallery black. The keeper's house and all other light station buildings were demolished following automation of the light in 1958; foundation ruins remain. The tower is a sibling of Burnt Coat Harbor Light (see below). In 1997, a local support group was granted ownership under the Maine Lights program and began repairing the lighthouse. The brickwork and windows have been restored, the tower has been painted, and restoration work has begun in the interior. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the restoration work, Anderson has photos showing scaffolding around the tower, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The island, part of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, is an important seabird nesting site and is closed to the public April through August. Located about 3 miles (5 km) southwest of South Addison. Accessible only by boat. Visible from boat tours from Milbridge. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Friends of Nash Island Light. ARLHS USA-527.
Narraguagus (Pond Island): 1853. Inactive since 1934. 31 ft (9.5 m) round cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern black. The 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house (1875) is privately owned. A brick workroom joining the tower to the keeper's quarters was added in 1887. Oil house (1905). Not to be confused with the Pond Island Light in the mouth of the Kennebec (see below). Anderson has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the southeast corner of Pond Island off Tom Leighton Point, about 5 miles (8 km) south of Milbridge at the entrance to Narraguagus Bay. The entire island is privately owned. Visible from boat tours from Milbridge. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-526.

Acadian Lighthouses
Prospect Harbor Point (2): 1891 (station established 1850; inactive from 1860s to 1891). Active; focal plane 42 ft (13 m); red flash every 6 s (two white sectors cover safe routes). 38 ft (11.5 m) round shingled wood tower with lantern and gallery; 250 mm lens (1951). Tower painted white, lantern black. The 1-1/2 story wood farmhouse-style keeper's house is used as a U.S. Navy guesthouse known as Gull Cottage. Stone oil house (1905). Anderson has good photos. The tower was reshingled, repainted, and restored by the Coast Guard in 1999-2000. In 2000, the light tower was leased to the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. In fall 2001, the stairway was restored. In 2004 the lantern was removed and restored and water damage in the tower was repaired. In the spring of 2006, the windows were replaced, thanks to a grant from the New England Lighthouse Lovers. However, there is a critical need for repairs to the wooden spiral stairs. Located on Lighthouse Road off ME 195 in Prospect Harbor; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Good view from ME 186 on the west side of the harbor. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard (tower only) and U.S. Navy. Site manager: U.S. Naval Satellite Operations Center. ARLHS USA-674; Admiralty J0038; USCG 1-1785.
Winter Harbor: 1856. Inactive since 1933. 19 ft (6 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached by a brick workroom to a 2-story Victorian wood keeper's house (1876). Tower painted white, lantern black. Stone oil house (1905). Private residence. In 1995, novelist and retired banker William C. Holden bought the lighthouse and restored it, putting it in excellent condition. Holden sold the lighthouse in 2004, and the present owners are not known. Located on Mark Island in the mouth of Winter Harbor; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat; lighthouse cruises, available daily in season from Bar Harbor, pass the lighthouse. Visible from Schoodic Road on the west side of the Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-900.
Egg Rock: 1875. Active; focal plane 64 ft (19.5 m); red flash every 5 s. 40 ft (12 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising through the center of the roof of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. The original lantern was removed in 1976; the VRB-25 aerobeacon is mounted in a replica lantern (1986). Building painted white with red roof; lantern is black. Brick fog signal building (1904), oil house, and other buildings. Active fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). Deb Snelson has a nice 2007 photo. The design of this integral lighthouse is very unusual for Maine. The lantern was removed in 1976 when a rotating aerobeacon was installed. This led to public protests, and in 1986 the Coast Guard installed a new lantern similar to the original. In the late 1990s the station was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service under the Maine Lights program. Located on an island in the mouth of Frenchman Bay about 4 miles (6.5 km) southeast of Bar Harbor; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Boat tours, available daily in season from Bar Harbor, pass the lighthouse. Site open September through March (closed for bird nesting season), tower closed. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge. ARLHS USA-268; Admiralty J0040; USCG 1-1865.
Baker Island (2): 1855 (station established 1828). Inactive since 2002. 43 ft (13 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, adjacent (formerly attached) to 1-1/2 story wood Cape Cod style keeper's house; solar-powered 300 mm lens. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display in the Fisherman's Museum at Pemaquid Point Light. Tower painted white, lantern black. Brick oil house (1895) and shingled fuel house (1905). Anderson also has a good page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. A typical Maine lighthouse of its period. Growth of trees having made the light difficult to see from the water, the Coast Guard proposed to discontinue it in 1991 and again in 1997, but this was opposed by residents and by mariners. The Coast Guard and National Park Service reached a standoff, unable to agree how trees might be cut to restore visibility of the light without damaging natural values on the island. In 2002 the lighthouse was replaced by an offshore buoy. Lighthouse Digest has an April 2002 report on the situation. In 2003 the park service replaced the roof of the keeper's quarters. Bar Harbor Whale Watch offers tours to the island daily in July and August and on selected dates in June and September. Located in the center of Baker Island southeast of Islesford. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: U.S. National Park Service (Acadia National Park). ARLHS USA-028; Admiralty J0046.

Great Duck Island: 1890. Active; focal plane 67 ft (20 m); red flash every 5 s. 42 ft (13 m) round cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1986). Tower painted white, lantern black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s) operates continuously. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house is in use as an ecology research facility known as the Alice Eno Biological Station. The brick fog signal building (1890) was renovated in 1994 by the Maine Nature Conservancy. Original boathouse, oil house (1901), and other light station buildings. The station is the base for field courses of the College of the Atlantic, which took ownership in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the light station and a feature on former keeper Dalton Reed; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the south end of an isolated island northeast of Frenchboro; most of the island is a Maine Nature Conservancy preserve. Accessible only by boat; lighthouse cruises, available daily in season from Bar Harbor, pass the lighthouse Site and tower closed. Owner: College of the Atlantic. Site manager: Island Research Center. ARLHS USA-347; Admiralty J0052; USCG 1-2295.

* Burnt Coat Harbor (Hockamock Head): 1872. Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); white light occulting every 4 s. 32 ft (10 m) square pyramidal brick tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern black. Original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters. Oil house (1895). The wood bell tower (1911), formerly in poor condition, was repaired in 2001. This lighthouse was originally the rear light in a range. Bob Indrums has a 2007 closeup photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The light station is a town park and a popular picnic site, but the buildings have been endangered in the past by lack of maintenance. The town replaced the shingle siding of the bell tower in 2001 and used a grant in 2002 for an architectural study of preservation options and requirements. In 2006 a grant from the MBNA Foundation allowed for a new roof on the keeper's house. In 2006 also, it was discovered that the house needs major work to shore up its foundation. Located atop Hockamock Head at the end of Harbor Road on the south side of Swans Island; Google has a satellite view. Swan's Island is accessible by state ferry from Bass Harbor. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Swans Island. ARLHS USA-096; Admiralty J0058; USCG 1-2700.
* Isle au Haut (Robinson Point): 1907. Active; focal plane 48 ft (14.5 m); red flash every 4 s (white sector covers clear channel). 40 ft (12 m) round tower, lower part unpainted granite blocks and upper part brick painted white, connected to land by a wood walkway. Lantern painted black. Solar-powered 250 mm lens; the original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. The original 2-1/2 story stucco and wood keeper's quarters was converted to a bed and breakfast inn owned by Jeff and Judi Burke. Original oil house (now used as a guest house) and other buildings. Marinas.com has aerial photos. The tower was transferred to the town in 1998 under the Maine Lights program and restored by Campbell Construction Co. for the Isle Au Haut Lighthouse Committee in 1999. In 2007, the Burkes closed the keeper's house inn and placed it for sale for $2.5 million. Located on Robinson Point on the west side of Isle au Haut, facing Isle au Haut Bay. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Stonington. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Isle au Haut (tower) and Keeper's House. ARLHS USA-404; Admiralty J0068; USCG 1-3360.
Vinalhaven and Matinicus Lighthouses
Saddleback Ledge: 1839 (Alexander Parris). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 6 s. 42 ft (13 m) ft old-style round granite tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating very cramped keeper's quarters; 300 mm lens. Tower unpainted; lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). All other light station buildings demolished in the 1960s. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This is a historic lighthouse, the first successful waveswept lighthouse to be built in the U.S. It was designed by Alexander Parris (1780-1852), one the country's best known architects at the time. Lighthouse Digest has an article on its history. Located on a tiny, isolated island in the mouth of Isle au Haut Bay, between Isle au Haut and Vinalhaven. Accessible only by helicopter; it can be seen by boat, but it is almost impossible to land on the rocky island. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-716; Admiralty J0064; USCG 1-3325.
Goose Rocks: 1890. Active; focal plane 51 ft (15.5 m); red flash every 4s; a narrow white sector covers the channel. 51 ft (15.5 m) sparkplug style round cast iron tower with lantern and three galleries, mounted on a concrete caisson, incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Tower painted white; lantern roof is black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Marinas.com has aerial photos. The lighthouse was offered under the Maine Lights program, but there were no takers. In 2004, it was again offered for transfer, this time under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Again there were no takers, and the lighthouse was sold at auction for $27,000 to Beacon Preservation, a nonprofit organized by Casey Jordan of Ansonia, Connecticut. Located on a rock in the east entrance to the Fox Islands Thorofare, east of North Haven. Accessible only by boat; visible distantly from Vinalhaven and North Haven. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-326; Admiralty J0074; USCG 1-3885.
* Browns Head (2): 1857 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 39 ft (12 m); continuous white light, day and night; two red sectors wood the clear channel. 20 ft (6 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1857); 4° Fresnel lens (1902). Buildings painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Oil house (1903). Fog bell tower demolished; the original bell is on display at the Vinalhaven Historical Society museum. Anderson has good photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. In 1998 the light station was transferred to the Town of Vinalhaven under the Maine Lights program; since then it has been the residence of the Vinalhaven town manager, who also serves as caretaker for the lighthouse. Located at the end of Browns Head Light Road on the northwest coast of Vinalhaven Island. The island is accessible by state ferry from Rockland. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Vinalhaven. ARLHS USA-088; Admiralty J0110; USCG 1-3965.

Matinicus Rock (Twin Towers) (3): 1857 (station established 1827). South tower active; focal plane 90 ft (27 m); white flash every 10 s. North tower inactive since 1923 (lantern removed). Twin 48 ft (14.5 m) unpainted round cylindrical granite towers; the south tower is attached to a 2-story granite and wood keeper's quarters (1846). Solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1993) in south tower. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). The original drum-style 3° Fresnel lens from the south tower is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Stone oil house (1890). Bases of the 1848 granite towers also visible. Anderson has recent photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Matinicus is famous as the light station tended by Abigail Burgess Grant, daughter of one keeper and wife of another; at age 17 she tended the light heroically during an 1856 storm. The station was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1998 under the Maine Lights program; the service and the Audubon Society use the keeper's house as a base for bird research during the summer. A very isolated and exposed light station, located on a bare rocky island 6 miles (10 km) south of Matinicus. Accessible only by boat or helicopter. Site and tower closed (bird nesting sanctuary). Owner/site manager: U.S. Fish and Wldlife Service. ARLHS USA-484; Admiralty J0116; USCG 1-0010.
East Penobscot Bay Lighthouses
Deer Island Thorofare (Mark Island): 1858. Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white flash every 6 s. 25 ft (7.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to a small workshed. Solar-powered 250 mm lens (1960). Fog horn (blast every 15 s) operates continuously. The keeper's house burned in 1959, and the other light station buildings were then demolished. Marinas.com has aerial photos. In 1998 the lighthouse was transferred to the Island Heritage Trust, which works for conservation and historic preservation of sites in the Deer Island area. The Trust has pledged to preserve the island as a bird sanctuary. Located on Mark Island in East Penobscot Bay about two miles southwest of Stonington; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed (bird sanctuary). Owner/site manager: Island Heritage Trust. ARLHS USA-221; Admiralty J0073; USCG 1-3095.
Eagle Island: 1838. Active; focal plane 106 ft (32.5 m); white flash every 4 s. 30 ft (9 m) round granite rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Despite protests from area residents, the keeper's house was demolished in 1964. The square pyramidal wooden fog signal tower survives. When the Coast Guard removed the fog bell, it fell in the sea; a local lobsterman later salvaged it, and it is on display on Great Spruce Head Island. Anderson has great photos of the station, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. In June 2000, the Coast Guard announced its intention of discontinuing the light, which has become difficult to see due to the growth of trees on the island. So far, the light has remained in service. Located on Eagle Island, east of Deer Isle in East Penobscot Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Eagle Light Caretakers. ARLHS USA-256; Admiralty J0078; USCG 1-3455.
Pumpkin Island: 1854. Inactive since 1933. 28 ft (8.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Buildings painted white, lantern and gallery black. Brick oil house (1906) and boathouse. One of Jeremy D'Entremont's photos is at the top of this page, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The station has been a private residence since 1934. Located on a small island in Eggemoggin Reach north of Little Deer Isle; Google has a satellite view. Visible from the end of Eggemoggin Road off ME 15 on Little Deer Isle. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-677.
* Dyce (Dice) Head: 1829. Inactive since 1937, but soon to be reactivated. 25 ft (7.5 m) old-style round granite rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white; lantern is black. Oil house (1895) and barn. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house was gutted by fire in April 1999. The tower was not damaged by the fire. In 2000 the town restored the keeper's quarters as a residence; it is leased to a caretaker. The active light was moved to a skeletal tower near the bottom of the bluff in 1937. In September 2007, the skeletal tower was nearly destroyed by a fierce nor'easter. In late October, a town meeting unanimously approved a request from the Coast Guard to restore the light to the lighthouse. Located atop a 100 ft (30 m) bluff at the end of Battle Street (extension of ME 166) in Castine; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Limited parking available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Castine. ARLHS USA-231; Admiralty J0082; USCG 1-3530.
West Penobscot Bay Lighthouses

*** Grindle Point (2): 1874 (station established 1851). Reactivated (inactive 1934-1987); focal plane 39 ft (12 m); green flash every 4 s. 39 ft (12 m) square brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached by a covered passageway to the original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house; solar-powered 250 mm lens (1987). Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Brick oil house (1906). Bob Indrums has a good 2007 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The town of Isleboro bought the station for $1200 when it was deactivated and put the keeper's house in use as the Sailor's Memorial Museum. A fog bell similar to the original is on display. In 1987, after many requests, the Coast Guard returned the light to the tower. Located on the southeast side of Isleboro Island at the entrance to Gilkey Harbor. The island is accessible by state ferry from Lincolnville, and the light station is adjacent to the ferry terminal. Site open, museum open daily except Mondays in the summer (free), tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Isleboro. ARLHS USA-356; Admiralty J0090; USCG 1-4405.
Curtis Island (Negro Island) (2): 1896 (station established 1835). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); green light occults every 4 s. 25 ft (7.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered 300 mm lens (1994). Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Camden Public Library. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, occupied by a caretaker, has a conspicuous red roof. Barn (1889), oil house (1895), and other light station buildings. Britten has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse was automated in 1972, and the town acquired the station except for the light tower in that year. The lighthouse itself was transferred to the town in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. Located on an island in the entrance to Camden Harbor from West Penobscot Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open (city park), tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Camden. ARLHS USA-213; Admiralty J0096; USCG 1-4310.

Rockland Harbor Southwest: 1987. Active (privately maintained); focal plane 44 ft (13.5 m); yellow flash every 2.5 s. Square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted gray, rising from a 2-story unpainted shingled residence. 5° Fresnel lens transferred (1989) from Doubling Point Range Lights. Anderson has closeup photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built by Dr. Bruce Woolett and accepted by the Coast Guard as a privately maintained aid to navigation. It was sold in 1998; the new owner, John Gazzola, renovated the building and added the shingled siding. Located at the end of Sherman's Lane, off North Shore Drive (the road to Owl's Head) on the south side of Rockland. Site and tower closed (private residence). Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-1021; Admiralty J0103.4; USCG 1-4140.
* Owl's Head: 1826. Active; focal plane 100 ft (30.5 m); continuous white light, displayed day and night. 30 ft (9 m) round old-style brick tower with lantern and gallery; 4° Fresnel lens (1856). Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 20 s). 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1854) used as Coast Guard housing. Oil house (1895). Mike Ladd has a 2007 photo. A picturesque, well preserved, well known, and well visited lighthouse. The state administers the surrounding area as Owls Head Light State Park. In December 2007, the American Lighthouse Foundation secured a license from the Coast Guard to manage and restore the lighthouse. The Foundation hopes to raise $257,000 for necessary restoration work. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road in Owl's Head; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible by a short hike from the parking area. Good views also from the Rockland-Vinalhaven state ferry. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. ARLHS USA-574; Admiralty J0104; USCG 1-4105.
Midcoast and Boothbay Harbor Lighthouses
Two Bush Island: 1897. Active; focal plane 65 ft (20 m); white flash every 5 s (red sector covers west and north). 42 ft (13 m) square brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a brick fog signal building; VRB-25 lens. Buildings painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). Anderson also has good photos. The keeper's house was demolished in 1970. In 2000 the Coast Guard replaced the DCB-224 aerobeacon with a weaker flashing light powered by solar panels. Located on a small island about 4 miles (6.5 km) southeast of Spruce Head; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Site manager: Franklin Island National Wildlife Refuge. ARLHS USA-860; Admiralty J0120; USCG 1-4540.
Whitehead Island (3): 1852 (station established 1804). Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); green light occulting every 4 s, day and night. 41 ft (12.5 m) unpainted round granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a red brick service room; 300 mm lens (1982). Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). The original 3° Fresnel lens is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. 1-1/2 story wood assistant keeper's house (1891); the principal keeper's house has been demolished. Square brick fog signal building (1888), oil house (1891), boathouse, and other light station buildings. Anderson also has good photos, Lighthouse Digest has an August 2000 story on the history of the light station, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The original lighthouse, a wood tower, was replaced by a stone tower in 1830. Transferred under the Maine Lights program in 1998, this light station became part of a summer camp for high schoolers, who helped restore the historic buildings. Starting in August 2008, the keeper's house will be used for educational programs for adults. Located on an island 2 miles (3 km) south of Spruce Head; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed to the public. Owner: Pine Island Camp. Site manager: Whitehead Light Station. ARLHS USA-888; Admiralty J0122; USCG 1-4580.
Tenants Harbor: 1857. Inactive since 1933. 27 ft (8 m) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Buildings painted white, lantern and gallery black. Anderson has several good photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light station is a private residence owned by the artist Jamie Wyeth. Wyeth has reconstructed the square pyramidal wood bell tower and uses it as his studio. Located at the eastern tip of Southern Island, off the entrance to Tenants Harbor. Visible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-840.

Franklin Island (3): 1855 (station established 1807). Active; focal plane 57 ft (17 m); white flash every 6 s. 45 ft (14 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery gray; lantern roof is red. The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Boothbay Harbor Coast Guard Station. The keeper's house was demolished in 1967; the oil house (1895) survives but without its roof. Anderson has recent photos. In August 1999 the Coast Guard contracted with Franklin Light Preservation to maintain the lighthouse. In 2001 the group rebuilt the Coast Guard pier and built a helipad on the island for ready access to the light. In December 2003 the Maine Department of Environmental Protection ordered these improvements removed, because the group had no DEP permits for them. Some agreement may have been reached on this, because the pad can be seen in a Google satellite view. Located on a small island in the mouth of Muscongus Bay about 4.5 miles (7 km) southwest of Port Clyde; Marinas.com has aerial photos. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Franklin Light Preservation. ARLHS USA-309; Admiralty J0132; USCG 1-4980.
** Monhegan Island (2): 1850 (station established 1824). Active; focal plane 178 ft (54 m); white flash every 15 s. 47 ft (14 m) old-style unpainted round granite block tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a workshed; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon. Lantern black with a red roof. The 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1874) is now a museum. Oil house (1893?) and other original buildings preserved; the 1857 assistant keeper's house was reconstructed in 1997-98. The fog bell (1855) from the nearby Manana Island fog signal station is on display. The passageway connecting the lighthouse and keeper's quarters has been rebuilt. Britten has good photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located atop the rocky island of Monhegan about 10 miles (16 km) south southwest of Port Clyde. Accessible by passenger ferry from Port Clyde year round, or from New Harbor or Boothbay Harbor in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Monhegan Museum. ARLHS USA-509; Admiralty J0128; USCG 1-0020.
[Manana Island Fog Signal]: 1889 (station established 1855). Active, solar-powered fog horn (two 3 s blasts every 60 s). Original (1855) 2-story wood keeper's house. 1-story brick fog signal building (1889). The assistant keeper's house has been demolished, but several other smaller station buildings survive. No current photo available. There was never a lighted aid to navigation at this station. Located on the west side of a small island across a narrow channel west of Monhegan Island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, station building closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 1-0025.
Ram Island: 1883. Active; focal plane 36 ft (11 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 35 ft (11 m) round tower with lantern and gallery, lower part unpainted granite blocks and upper part brick painted white; 250 mm lens. Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). The original 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Boothbay Region Historical Society Museum in Boothbay Harbor. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters houses a caretaker in season. Barn (1883) and brick oil house (1898). Anderson has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. Not to be confused with the Ram Island Ledge Light (see below). The Grand Banks Schooner Museum leased the light station, except for the tower, in 1983, when the Coast Guard was about to demolish the keeper's house. The Museum Trust organized the Ram Island Preservation Society, which has restored the house. In 1998, the Trust received ownership of the entire station under the Maine Lights program. The walkway connecting the lighthouse to shore, which had been removed by the Coast Guard in 1977, was rebuilt during 2002. Located on a small island next to Fisherman Island Passage, the eastern entrance to Boothbay Harbor, opposite Ocean Point. Accessible only by boat. The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises to the island in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust. Site manager: Ram Island Preservation Society. ARLHS USA-686; Admiralty J0136; USCG 1-5420.
** Burnt Island: 1821. Active; focal plane 61 ft (18.5 m); red flash every 6 s; two white sectors cover clear channels. 30 ft (9 m) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1857); 300 mm lens. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). The 4° Fresnel lens used from 1857(?) to 1961 is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. The third-oldest Maine lighthouse, this is a well preserved light station with the original oil house (1899), boathouse (1880), barn (1877), and other structures. The Burnt Island Lighthouse Society works for preservation and operation of the light. The state has developed the site as a "living lighthouse," where visitors can see a nineteenth century light station in action. Restoration began in 1999 with tree clearing and utilities work and continued in 2000 with replacement of the roof, restoration of chimneys and fireplaces, painting, and installation of a heating system. Interior restoration was completed in 2001. The light station was rededicated June 20, 2003. The state has a web site for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a June 2004 feature article, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island in the entrance to Boothbay Harbor. Accessible only by boat; tours available weekdays from Boothbay Harbor. The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath also offers cruises to the island in season. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Maine Department of Marine Resources. Site manager: Burnt Island Living Lighthouse. ARLHS USA-097; Admiralty J0140; USCG 1-5520.
The Cuckolds: 1907 (built as a fog signal station 1892, lantern added 1907). Active; focal plane 59 ft (18 m); 2 white flashes every 6 s. Unique design: 48 ft (14.5 m) overall; round wood fog signal station with granite foundation with short white octagonal tower, with lantern and gallery, mounted at the peak of the conical red roof; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1998). Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). The 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, formerly attached, was demolished after severe damage from a blizzard (1978). The original (and rare) American-made 4° Fresnel lens is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Anderson has a good photo. In 2006, the light station was transferred to a local preservation group under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. Plans are being completed to restore the existing structures and rebuild the keeper's house and other buildings, making them available for overnight accommodations. Kelly Farrin, who lived at the station in 1969-70, has a web site on his experiences there. Located on a small island off Cape Newagen, between Boothbay Harbor and the Kennebec River; Marinas.com has aerial photos. Accessible only by boat. Visible from the public pier in Newagen. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Cuckolds Fog Signal and Light Station Council. ARLHS USA-210; Admiralty J0142; U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 1-5485.
Hendricks Head (2): 1875 (station established 1829). Reactivated (inactive 1933-1951); focal plane 43 ft (13.5 m); continuous light, white to the east and red to the west. 39 ft (12 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; 250 mm lens (1979). Tower painted white, lantern and gallery black. The original 2-story wood keeper's house is used as a private summer residence. Buildings painted white with red roofs. Brick oil house (1895) and other buildings. Pyramidal wood fog bell tower (1890), recently rebuilt. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, and Anderson has several views from the sea. The station was deactivated and sold in 1933 to reduce costs; it was reactivated in 1951, when electricity became available at the site, in response to many public requests. The blizzard of January 9, 1978, destroyed the boathouse and the covered walkway that connected the house and the fog bell tower. The present owners, Luanne and Ben Russell, have renovated the entire light station and have a web site for it. Located off ME 27 on Sheepscot Bay in West Southport. The tower is hard to find in a Google satellite view. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-597; Admiralty J0144; USCG 1-5665.
Kennebec River Lighthouses
[Abagadasset Point Range]: Date unknown. Inactive since the late 1930s. Ruins of the brick oil house are rapidly decaying at this recently-rediscovered site. Located at Abagadasset Point, off the end of Browns Point Road east of Bowdoinham. Site closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS USA-1018.

* Doubling Point Range Lights: 1898. Active; focal plane 18 ft (5.5 m) (front) and 33 ft (10 m) (rear); white lights seen only on the range line: front light quick-flashing, rear light 3 s on, 3 s off. Twin 13 ft (4 m) octagonal wood towers, painted white with red pyramidal roofs, mounted on granite foundations; 250 mm lenses. One of the original 5° Fresnel lenses was transferred to Rockland Harbor Southwest Light (see above). Original 2-story wood keeper's quarters (occupied by caretaker) and other buildings. The Coast Guard restored the rear tower in 1996. In 1998, the lights and the nearby fog signal were transferred to a new preservation group, the Range Light Keepers, under the Maine Lights program. Located off Doubling Point Road, on the Kennebec River off ME 127 near the northwest corner of Arrowsic Island. Google has a satellite view. The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises passing the light. Site open with permission of caretaker, towers closed. Owner/site manager: Range Light Keepers. ARLHS USA-415 (front) and 973 (rear); USCG 1-6135 (front) and 1-6140 (rear).

Perkins Island: 1898. Active; focal plane 41 ft (12.5 m); red flash every 2.5 s; 2 white sectors cover clear channel. 23 ft (7 m) octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; 250 mm lens. Lantern painted black. Original 2 story wood keeper's house, pyramidal wood bell tower, brick oil house, and other buildings. The original fog bell is on display at Georgetown High School. The light station, except for the tower, was transferred to the state in the 1960s. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse. Endangered: the light station, especially the keeper's house and bell tower, is in disrepair due to lack of maintenance. Lighthouse Digest had an October 2000 story on the sad state of the light station and has placed the lighthouse on the Doomsday List. In 2000, the light station was leased by the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. The new ALF chapter, Friends of Perkins Island Lighthouse, hopes to restore the keeper's quarters and in 2000 local volunteers did restore the fog bell tower. In 2005 and 2006 chapter members worked to stabilize the keeper's house, repairing the most urgent problems. Located on an island on the east side of the Kennebec opposite Parker Head; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises passing the light. Site open, tower closed. Owner U.S. Coast Guard (tower) and Maine Department of Natural Resources. Site manager: Friends of Perkins Island Lighthouse (tower) and Maine Department of Natural Resources. ARLHS USA-596; Admiralty J0152; USCG 1-6070.
* [Fort Popham (3)]: 1940s. Active; focal plane 27 ft (8 m); green flash every 4 s. Light mounted on a short mast atop the historic fort. This light replaced a pyramidal wooden tower (1903). Lighthouse Digest has a March 2005 story on life at this station, and Jason Gendron has a 2007 photo. Located on the west side of the mouth of the Kennebec River; Google has a satellite view. Owner: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Site manager: Fort Popham State Historic Site. ARLHS USA-1205; USCG 1-6050.
Pond Island (2): 1855 (station established 1821). Active; focal plane 52 ft (16 m); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 20 ft (6 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; solar-powered 250 mm lens. Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). Keeper's house and all other light station buildings demolished in 1963. Located on an island in the mouth of the Kennebec southeast of Popham Beach; Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The island is an important bird sanctuary and is closed to the public April through August. Accessible only by boat. Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises passing the light. Site open September through March but difficult to reach; tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Maine Audubon Society and Pond Island National Wildlife Refuge. ARLHS USA-1145; Admiralty J0148; USCG 1-6025.
* Seguin Island (3): 1857 (station established 1795). Active; focal plane 180 ft (55 m); continuous white light. 53 ft (16 m) round cylindrical granite tower with lantern and gallery, original Henry Lepaute 1° Fresnel lens (the only 1° lens in Maine). Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 20 s). Original 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house, brick fog signal building (1889), brick oil house (1892), and other buildings. The keeper's house is occupied by caretakers in season. Anderson also has a good page with excellent photos. This is one of Maine's best known and most important lighthouses, and the highest in the state. In 1999-2000 the lighthouse was the subject of debate between preservationists and the Coast Guard, which wanted to extinguish the light and put up a solar-powered skeletal tower. In March 2000, under pressure from Congress and the public, the Guard dropped its plans to deactivate the light. Current projects include restoring the boat house and tramway engine house. In 2006, the Coast Guard carried out a restoration of the 1° lens. Located atop a rocky island about 2.5 miles (4 km) south southeast of Popham Beach; Marinas.com has aerial photos., and Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat; moorings provided. Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises to the island in season and several area captains provide transportation to the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Friends of Seguin Island. ARLHS USA-746; Admiralty J0146; USCG 1-0035.
Casco Bay and Portland Area Lighthouses
Little Mark Island Monument: Date unknown (tower built 1827). Active; focal plane 74 ft (22.5 m); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 50 ft (15 m) unpainted square pyramidal granite monument with a modern light mounted at the top. A black vertical stripe is painted on each side of the tower, which is otherwise unpainted white granite. The tower has a room at the base, originally meant as a shelter for shipwrecked sailors and now used for storage batteries for the light. Built as a daymark, this tower was not intended to be a lighthouse, and it is not known when it became a lighted aid to navigation. Located on Little Mark Island about 1 mile (1.5 km) southwest of the tip of Bailey Island and three miles (5 km) north of Halfway Rock; Google has a good satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Visible from the end of ME 24 in Bailey Island. Site open (but landing may be difficult), tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-1178; USCG 1-6700.
Halfway Rock: 1871. Active; focal plane 77 ft (23.5 m); red flash every 5 s. 76 ft (23 m) wave-swept unpainted round granite tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1994). Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) operates continuously. The original 3° Fresnel lens is on display at the U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London, CT. The keeper's house and the rest of the light station were destroyed by various storms. In 2000, the light tower was leased by the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. Interior restoration is needed badly. No restoration plans have been announced as yet. Anderson also has a good page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a February 2003 article on the history of the station, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on a bare, rocky island in the middle of Casco Bay about 12 miles (19 km) east of Portland. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: American Lighthouse Foundation. ARLHS USA-364; Admiralty J0176; USCG 1-0040.

* Spring Point Ledge: 1897. Active; focal plane 54 ft (16.5 m); white flash every 6 s (two red sectors warn mariners who have strayed from the channel). 54 ft (16.5 m) sparkplug-style round brick tower with lantern and three galleries, on a brick caisson, incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters; 300 mm lens. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Tower painted white, lantern black. Brent Danley has a 2007 photo, Anderson has a good page with several photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the only Maine sparkplug tower retaining its lower gallery and canopy. Offshore when it was built, the lighthouse has been connected to land by a breakwater since 1951. The lighthouse was transferred to the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. Opened to the public for the first time in 1999, this was the first sparkplug lighthouse in the nation to open for tours. The interior has been restored and furnished with period furniture. Fund raising for structural restoration is in progress. In 2001, the city provided funds to restore the canopy and repair cracks in the caisson; the project was completed in 2004. In 2007, the Trust was working to raise $71,000 to replace the lantern glass and repair exterior cracks in the tower. Located off Spring Point a few hundred yards east of the Portland Breakwater Light. Accessible in fair weather by walking the breakwater from the Portland Harbor Museum on Fort Road, South Portland. Site open, tower open to museum tours once a month June through October. Owner/site manager: Spring Point Ledge Light Trust. ARLHS USA-785; Admiralty J0195; USCG 1-7610.
Ram Island Ledge: 1905. Active; focal plane 77 ft (23.5 m); 2 white flashes every 6 s. 72 ft (22 m) wave-swept unpainted round granite tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating 2-story keeper's quarters; 300 mm lens converted to solar power in January 2001. Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Anderson has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of The Graves Light near Boston. Not to be confused with the Ram Island Light (see above). No information is available on the condition of this tower, and it may be endangered by its age and inadequate maintenance. In November 2005, the American Lighthouse Foundation announced it will take over maintenance from the Coast Guard; ALF has posted a report on an inspection visit in February 2006. Located on a bare ledge about one mile off Portland Head at the south entrance to Portland Harbor. Accessible only by boat, but there's a good view from Portland Head Light. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: American Lighthouse Foundation. ARLHS USA-686; Admiralty J0204; USCG 1-7575.

Cape Elizabeth East (2): 1874 (station established 1828). Active; focal plane 129 ft (39.5 m); 4 white flashes every 15 s (flashes separated by 2.5 s), day and night. 67 ft (20 m) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a square 1-story base; VRB-25 aerobeacon. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). The original drum-style 2° Fresnel lens is on display at Cape Elizabeth Town Hall. The 2-story Victorian keeper's house (1878), a private residence, was so drastically altered in 1999 that the Maritime Heritage Program lists the original building as "demolished." Brick fog signal building (1886). Anderson has a page with good photos, Lighthouse Digest has an article on keeper Marcus Hanna, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The light station is adjacent to but not part of Two Lights State Park. This lighthouse appears in a famous painting (1929) by Edward Hopper. In 2000, the tower was leased by the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. In 2006, ALF announced plans for restoration of the concrete base of the lighthouse and of the oil house. Located at the end of Two Lights Road off ME 77 in Cape Elizabeth. Site and tower closed, but good views are available from the adjoining state park. Tower owner: U.S. Coast Guard, site manager: American Lighthouse Foundation. Other buildings private. ARLHS USA-113; Admiralty J0208; USCG 1-0060.
Cape Elizabeth West (2): 1874 (station established 1828). Inactive since 1924. 67 ft (20 m) round cast iron tower with gallery (twin of the east tower), painted white. The lantern was removed and replaced by a 12-sided observation room during World War II. The lighthouse was sold in 1959 and has been in private hands since. Anderson has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light station is adjacent to but not part of Two Lights State Park. Located 300 yards (275 m) west of the east tower. Site and tower closed, but distant views are available from the adjoining Two Lights State Park. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-115.
South Coast Lighthouses
Wood Island: 1808. Active; focal plane 71 ft (21.5 m); flash every 5 s, alternating white and green. 47 ft (14 m) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to a 2-story wood keeper's house (1906); VRB-25 aerobeacon (1972). Lantern and gallery painted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). The lantern was removed in 1972 and rebuilt in 1986. Maine's second oldest lighthouse, and the nation's eleventh oldest. The bell tower was destroyed by a storm in the 1960s, but the 1872 bell was saved and is on display at Vine's Landing in Biddeford Pool. Stone oil house (1903). Converted to solar power in 2001. In March 2003 the Coast Guard leased the station to a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. Volunteers cleared the site, removed debris from the tower, and restored electrical service to the lighthouse; a restoration plan has been prepared and submitted to the state for approval. The ALF chapter's web site has numerous photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island off the mouth of the Saco River northeast of Biddeford Pool.