Lighthouses of Eastern Maine

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. Birding Maine has a 2008 photo of the lighthouse and fog bell tower, Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos, the Coast Guard has a historic photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. 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. 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and the Coast Guard has a historic photo. 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.

*** West Quoddy Head (2) 1858 (station established 1808). Active; focal plane 83 ft (25 m); 2 white flashes every 15 s. 49 ft (15 m) "early classic" round brick tower, original 3° Fresnel lens. Tower painted with narrow horizontal red and white stripes, a pattern unique in the U.S.; lantern painted black with a red roof. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). The original 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house was renovated in 2001-02 as a visitor center and museum. Brick fog signal building (1887) and oil house (1892). Terry Ross's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Britten has a great photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Standing on the easternmost point of the U.S., this is one of the best known of all American lighthouses and a familiar symbol of the Maine coast. The West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association works for preservation of the light station. The tower was repainted in 2003, and in 2004 the Coast Guard restored the lantern. Located south of Lubec, 4 miles (6.5 km) off ME 189, at the end of Quoddy Head Road. Site open (free), visitor center open daily late May to mid October, tower closed. Owner: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (Quoddy Head State Park) Site manager: West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association. ARLHS USA-880; Admiralty H4162; USCG 1-1040.

West Quoddy Head Light, October 2006 Creative Commons photo by Terry Ross

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. The 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house (1888) has been restored and is open for overnight stays. 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. Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. In July 2008, the keeper's house opened for overnight stays. 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. Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, Anderson has photos, Ed Karjala has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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.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). Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view that shows the original configuration of the station. 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. Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the original keeper's house and fog signal tower, and Google has a satellite view. 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 a 2002 article on the restoration work, and Anderson has photos showing scaffolding around the tower. 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, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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. Petit Manan (2) 1855 (station established 1817). Active; focal plane 123 ft (37.5 m); white flash every 10 s. 119 ft (36 m) round granite tower with lantern and double gallery; VRB-25 aerobeacon. The original 2° Fresnel lens is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Tower unpainted; lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 30 s); a fog bell formerly used here is on display at the elementary school in Milbridge. The 1-1/2 story Victorian wood keeper's house (1875) provides seasonal housing for Fish and Wildlife Service staff and students from the College of the Atlantic. Brick fog signal building (1887), oil house, engine house, and other buildings. A photo is at right, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has good aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The second-tallest Maine lighthouse, this handsome tower is a sibling of Boon Island Light. The lighthouse was repaired and restored by Campbell Construction in 1997-98. In March 2001 the light was out of service for two months when a nor'easter damaged the submarine power cable to the island. As a result, the light was converted to solar power later in the year. In 2004, the light station was listed for transfer under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, and in late 2006 ownership was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service. Located on a small island off Petit Manan Point. There are hiking trails leading to Petit Manan Point and providing a view of the lighthouse. Also visible from boat tours from Milbridge. Accessible only by boat. 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-597; Admiralty J0034; USCG 1-1735.

Petit Manan Light, August 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

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). Brent Danley's photo is at right, Anderson has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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). Anderson has several photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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.

Prospect Harbor Point Light, August 2007 Creative Commons photo by Brent Danley

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, Anderson has several photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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.

Bear Island (2) 1889 (station established 1839). Reactivated (inactive 1982-1989; now maintained by the National Park Service); focal plane 100 ft (30.5 m); white flash every 5 s. 31 ft (9.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. The original 1-1/2 story gambrel-roofed wood keeper's house is leased by the National Park Service to a summer resident caretaker. Stone oil house (1905). Anderson has several photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The light station was restored in the 1980s by efforts of the Friends of Acadia. The leaseholders since 1989, Martin Morad and Fabiola Martens, have also worked to maintain and restore the property. Located atop a bluff on a small island southeast of the Northeast Harbor entrance. Ferries from Northeast Harbor to Islesford and lighthouse cruises, available daily in season from Bar Harbor, pass the site. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. National Park Service. Site manager: Acadia National Park. ARLHS USA-045; Admiralty J0045; USCG 1-2105. * Bass Harbor Head 1858. Active day and night; focal plane 56 ft (17 m); red light occulting every 4 s. 32 ft (10 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; 4° Henry Lepaute Fresnel lens (1902). Tower painted white, lantern black. The 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house is in use as Coast Guard housing. Square pyramidal brick bell tower (1898), bell removed. Brick oil house (1902). A picturesque site and lighthouse, familiar to visitors to Acadia National Park. The Coast Guard has maintained the station in good condition. Anderson also has a good page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a June 2006 feature article on the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road, off ME 102A in Bass Harbor. Site open (parking available), tower closed. Owner/site manager: U.S. Coast Guard. ARLHS USA-041; Admiralty J0054; USCG 1-2335. Blue Hill Bay 1857. Inactive since 1933. 22 ft (6.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery. 5° Fresnel lens still mounted in tower. Tower painted white, lantern black. The 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house is in use as a private summer residence. Brick oil house (1905). Active light (focal plane 25 ft (7.5 m); green flash every 4 s) on a skeletal tower (1933). Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The buildings were restored in the late 1970s by Wilbur and Edith Trapp, the owners at that time. The Trapps sold the light station in 1995. Located on tiny Green Island in Blue Hill Bay a little over three miles (5 km) southeast of Brooklin. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-064; USCG 1-2595.

Bass Harbor Head Light, October 2008 Creative Commons photo by Tim Tyson

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. Anderson has several good photos, 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. The station is the base for field courses of the College of the Atlantic, which took ownership in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. 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.

Mount Desert (Mount Desert Rock) 1847 (Alexander Parris); station established 1830. Active; focal plane 75 ft (23 m); white flash every 15 s. 58 ft (17.5 m) round old-style granite tower (raised 10 ft (3 m) in 1857) with lantern and gallery; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1993). Tower unpainted; lantern painted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s) operates continuously. Replica lantern (1985). NOAA C-MAN automatic weather station. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's quarters (1893). A photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has information on the history of the light station and a feature article on the difficulties of life there, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. A remarkable and historic site and one of the most isolated and exposed light stations of the U.S. Atlantic coast. The lighthouse is one of three waveswept towers designed by the architect Alexander Parris. The station was transferred to the College of the Atlantic in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. The keeper's house is in use as an ecology research facility known as the Edward McC. Blair Marine Research Station. The college replaced the roof of the keeper's house in 2000. In 2001, the generator house was expanded by the addition of a second floor; the first floor is now a marine lab and the second floor is a classroom. The station is known especially for finback and humpback whale research. Located on a bare rocky island south of Frenchboro. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: College of the Atlantic. Site manager: Island Research Center. This is the very first lighthouse in the USCG Light List, ARLHS USA-516; Admiralty J0048; USCG 1-0005.

Mount Desert Rock Light, May 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

* 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. Anderson has several good photos, Bob Indrums has a 2007 closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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. Anderson has several photos, and 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, Lighthouse Digest has an article on its history, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the additional keeper's quarters that were formerly attached. 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. 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). A photo is at right, Anderson has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. 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. The preservation group has restored the interior of the lighthouse and opened it for overnight accommodations May through mid-October. 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: Beacon Preservation. ARLHS USA-326; Admiralty J0074; USCG 1-3885.

Goose Rocks Light, August 2007 Creative Commons photo by Eric Jensen

* 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. 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.

Heron Neck 1854. Active; focal plane 92 ft (28 m); continuous red light, day and night; white sector covers clear channel. 30 ft (9 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-story wood keeper's house (1895); 300 mm lens (1982). Tower painted white, lantern black with a red roof. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Brick fog signal building (1944); an older fog siren is on display at Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Anderson has recent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. After the keeper's house was heavily damaged by fire in 1989, the Coast Guard announced its intention to demolish the building. Following public protests, the Coast Guard agreed to transfer the lighthouse to the Island Institute, which leased it to an individual willing to restore it as a residence. Located on a rocky headland at the southern end of Greens Island about 2 miles (3 km) southwest of Vinalhaven. Site and tower closed. Owner: Island Institute. Site manager: private. ARLHS USA-371; Admiralty J0112; USCG 1-3760.

Heron Neck Light, July 2004 Creative Commons photo by Skylar Primm

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). The bases of the 1848 granite towers are 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. Anderson has several small photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view that shows the keeper's house, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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, west 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, Anderson has several small photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The station has been a private residence since 1934. Located on a small island in Eggemoggin Reach north of Little Deer Isle. 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. * Dice (Dyce) Head 1829. Reactivated (inactive 1937-2008); focal plane 134 ft (41 m); white flash every 6 s. 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. A Coast Guard photo is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. 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, and the tower was relit on 31 January 2008. Located atop a 100 ft (30 m) bluff at the end of Battle Street (extension of ME 166) in Castine. Limited parking available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of Castine. ARLHS USA-231; Admiralty J0082; USCG 1-3530.

Dice Head Light, January 2008 photo by U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team, Southwest Harbor, Maine

North Penobscot Bay Lighthouses

** Fort Point (2) 1857 (station established 1836). Active; focal plane 88 ft (26 m); continuous white light, day and night. 31 ft (9.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. The original 4° Fresnel lens is still in use. Buildings painted white; lantern is black and house has a red roof. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Barn (1890) and brick oil house (1897). An unusually well preserved light station. The square pyramidal wood bell tower (1890), one of the few still in use in New England, now houses the fog horn; the original bell is on display. Anderson also has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The keeper's house is occupied; since 1988, former keeper Terry Cole and his wife Jeri have been the resident caretakers of the station. Ownership was transferred to Maine state parks under the Maine Lights program in 1997. Located on the west side of the mouth of the Penobscot River in Stockton Springs. Site open, tower open to tours (call ahead for appointment). Owner: Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Site manager: Fort Point State Historic Site. ARLHS USA-296; Admiralty J0086; USCG 1-3585. Fort Point Ledge Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 ft (7 m); red flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) square solid stone pyramid with a light at the apex. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This one of more than a dozen 19th century stone daybeacons on the coast of Maine, but we do not know when the light was added. Located on Fort Point Ledge, a dangerous reef about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the Fort Point lighthouse. Accessible only by boat, although there should be a good view from the lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. USCG 1-3580.

Fort Point Light, August 2005 anonymous Creative Commons photo

*** 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, Anderson has several photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Avery Rock (1875-1946), Machias Bay. ARLHS USA-024.
• Burnt Coat Harbor Range Front (1872-?), Swans Island. ARLHS USA-1093.
• Crabtree Ledge (1890-1933), Frenchman's Bay. ARLHS USA-197.

Notable faux lighthouses:

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index

Posted May 16, 2001. Checked and revised February 12, 2009. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.