Lighthouses of Southern Maine

The U.S. state of Maine is located in the northeastern corner of the nation. The rugged, deeply indented coast of the state has about 70 lighthouses, which are covered by the Directory on two pages. This page includes lighthouses of the southern coast of Maine, from the Rockland area south to the border of New Hampshire.

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.


Rockland Harbor Breakwater Light, October 2008
Creative Commons photo by Steve Dorsey

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 in Maine
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Coast Guard Lighthouses - Maine
Historic photos and notes posted by the U.S. Coast Guard Historian's office.
Leuchttürme USA auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images of U.S. lighthouses posted by Klaus Huelse.
National Maritime Inventory - Maine
Inventory of Maine lighthouse data.
Lighthouses of Maine
From Lighthouse Getaway (Bill Britten, University of Tennessee): photos and brief accounts of many of the lighthouses.
Rockland Area Lighthouses
Indian Island (2)
1874 (station established 1850). Inactive since 1934. 31 ft (9.5 m) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. Oil house (1894). Josh Burker's photo is at right, Lighthouse Digest has an article on life at the light station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The station has been a private residence since it was deactivated in 1934; it is very well maintained. Located on a small island off Beauchamp Point at the entrance to Rockport Harbor. Accessible only by boat. Many cruises and boat tours pass the site; there are views also from Rockport Marine Park. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS USA-400.
* Rockland Harbor Breakwater
1902. Active; focal plane 39 ft (12 m); white flash every 5 s. 25 ft (7.5 m) square cylindrical red brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from one corner of a 1-1/2 story red brick and white wood keeper's house; VRB-25 lens. Tower unpainted red brick; lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). Original fog signal building attached to tower. Steve Dorsey's photo is at the top of this page, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The lighthouse was transferred to the city under the Maine Lights program in 1998, but it was in poor condition. The American Lighthouse Foundation launched fundraising to restore and operate the lighthouse, and in 1999 a local support group, Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, was formed to carry out this effort. In July 2001 the friends group leased the lighthouse from the city. At that time about half the $250,000 needed for restoration was in hand. Restoration work began in September 2003. A first Five Year Plan has been completed, and a second plan begun. Located at the end of a 4500 ft stone breakwater at Jameson Point, near the end of Samoset Road in Rockland. Accessible in good weather by walking the breakwater; good views also from the state ferries to North Haven and Vinalhaven. Site open, building and tower closed except for occasional open house tours. Owner: City of Rockland. Site manager: Friends of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. ARLHS USA-699; Admiralty J0102; USCG 1-4130.

Indian Island Light, August 2007
Creative Commons photo by Josh Burker
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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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). The keeper's house was demolished in 1970. Anderson also has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the complete station. 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. 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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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.
*** Marshall Point (2)
1857 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 30 ft (9 m), continuous white light, day and night. 31 ft (9.5 m) round tower with lantern and gallery, lower part granite blocks and upper part brick, connected to land by a wooden walkway; 300 mm lens (1981). Upper part of tower and walkway painted white, lantern and gallery black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1895); the lower floor houses the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum, and the upper floor is a caretaker's residence. Fog signal building demolished, but the original bell (1898) is on display. Oil house (1898) and reconstructed kitchen (1995). Justin Russell's photo is at right, Britten has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The restoration effort began in 1986, when the Town of St. George leased the station from the Coast Guard. The St. George Historical Society restored the tower and keeper's house in 1988-89 and opened the museum in 1990. In 1995 the summer kitchen was reconstructed to provide space for more exhibits. In 1998, ownership of the station was transferred to the town under the Maine Lights program. This lighthouse appears in the 1993 movie Forrest Gump as the eastern end of Gump's cross-country run. Located at the end of Marshall Point Road in Port Clyde. Site open, museum open daily June through September and on weekends in May and October, tower closed. Owner: Town of St. George. Site manager: Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum. ARLHS USA-479; Admiralty J0124; USCG 1-4780.

Marshall Point Light, March 2003
Creative Commons photo by Justin Russell
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, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the complete station. 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. 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. Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, 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.
*** Pemaquid Point (2)
1835 (Joseph Berry; station established 1827). Active; focal plane 79 ft (24 m); white flash every 6 s. 38 ft (11. 5 m) old-style round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1857); 4° Fresnel lens (1856). Buildings painted white; lantern and gallery are black. The keeper's houses is now the Fishermen's Museum; a 4° Fresnel lens from Baker Island Light (see above) is on display. Brick fog signal building with bell. The brick oil house (1896) was damaged by a storm in 1991 but repaired in 1992. Marco Mazzei's photo is at right, there are great photos from Britten, Marinas.com has aerial photos, a webcam provides a current view of the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This well known and popular lighthouse is depicted on a U.S. quarter dollar coin. In 2000, the Coast Guard refurbished the light tower and then leased it to the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. ALF has organized the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse to work for restoration and maintenance of the tower. In 2002, volunteers of the New England Lighthouse Lovers (NELL) painted the tower. In 2003, FPPL volunteers began conducting tours of the tower. In February, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced a grant of $50,000 to restore the exterior masonry of the tower. Located just beyond the end of ME 130 south of New Harbor, about 1 km (0.6 mi) northeast of the southernmost point of land. Site open, museum open daily in the summer, tower open when volunteers are available (generally on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday, Memorial Day through Columbus Day). Owner: U.S. Coast Guard (tower only) and Town of Bristol. Site manager: Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (tower only) and Fishermen's Museum. ARLHS USA-589; Admiralty J0134; USCG 1-5145.

Pemaquid Point Light, August 2006
Creative Commons photo by Marco Mazzei
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 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. 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. 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. HS USA-210; Admiralty J0142; U.S. Coast Guard. USCG 1-5485.
Burnt Island Light
Burnt Island Light, July 2008
anonymous Creative Commons photo
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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. 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. 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. ARL
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, Anderson has several views from the sea, and Huelse has a historic postcard view, but the tower is hard to find in a Google satellite view. 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. 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
1899. Active; focal plane 23 ft (7 m); white flash every 4 s. 23 ft (7 m) octagonal wooden tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square unpainted granite foundation; 300 mm lens. Lantern painted black. Sibling of Perkins Island. The 5° Fresnel lens (1902) is on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. Original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house and bell tower. Sue Clark's photo is at right, Anderson has a good page for the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was previously endangered by ice damage to its foundation. Restoration of the foundation was completed in January 2000, and the walkway to the light was restored in summer 2000. Located at the end of Doubling Point Road, on the Kennebec River off ME 127 near the northwest corner of Arrowsic Island, upstream from the range lights. Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers harbor cruises daily in season to the vicinity of the light. Site open (limited parking), tower closed. Owner/site manager: Friends of Doubling Point Light. ARLHS USA-234; Admiralty J0160; USCG 1-6145.
[Fiddler's Reach Fog Signal]
1913. Inactive since 1972 (at least). Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal shingle-covered wood tower. The tower was restored in 2000. A Nebraska museum has loaned a fog bell for the tower; the original bell is on display at the U.S. Coast Guard Museum in New London, CT. Located about 1100 ft (335 m) upstream from the Doubling Point Range Lights; Google has an indistinct satellite view. Site status uncertain. Owner/site manager: Range Light Keepers.
Doubling Point Light
Doubling Point Light, August 2008
Creative Commons photo by Sue Clark
* 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. Anderson has a fine page for the lights, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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).
* Squirrel Point
1898. Active; focal plane 33 ft (10 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off; white sector covers clear channel. 25 ft (7.5 m) octagonal wooden tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached to the fog signal building; 250 mm lens. Lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). The original 5° Fresnel lens is on display at Portland Head Light (see below). Original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, privately restored. Brick oil house (1906) and other buildings. A photo is at right, Anderson has good photos, and Google has a satellite view. Sibling of Perkins Island Light. In 1996 Congress directed the Coast Guard to convey the property to Mike Trenholm and his nonprofit organization, Squirrel Point Light Associates, Inc. In early 1999 the lighthouse was reported for sale. This stirred up a controversy, but the owner claimed the lighthouse was never on the market. However, in 2002 the lighthouse was indeed listed for sale, and controversy began anew. When the Coast Guard indicated it would allow a sale to a retired naval officer, a new group, Citizens for Squirrel Point, sued to block the sale. Reversing course, the Coast Guard joined the suit and asked the court to recover the property because the owners had violated the terms of the 1996 transfer. In February 2005 a judge approved a magistrate's decision that the property should revert to the federal government. In early 2008, the Coast Guard leased the station for 15 years to the Chewonki Foundation, which specializes in land conservation in Maine. The foundation will manage the property with the assistance of the Citizens for Squirrel Point. Located on Arrowsic Island opposite Phippsburg. Accessible by a short trail from the end of Bald Head Road in Arrowsic, and the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath offers cruises passing the light. Site open, tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Chewonki Foundation. ARLHS USA-788; Admiralty J0156; USCG 1-6100.

Squirrel Point Light, August 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo
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, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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 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. 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, a 2008 photo is available (light at upper right corner of the photo), and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west side of the mouth of the Kennebec River. 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. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island in the mouth of the Kennebec southeast of Popham Beach. 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. Sue Clark's photo is at right, Anderson also has a good page with excellent photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. 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. 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.

Seguin Island Light, August 2008
Creative Commons photo by Sue Clark

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. Google has a good satellite view. 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. 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. Anderson also has a good page for the lighthouse, Lighthouse Digest has a February 2003 article on the history of the station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. 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. 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.
* Portland Breakwater ("Bug Light") (2)
1875 (station established 1855). Reactivated (inactive 1942-2002, now privately maintained); focal plane 33 ft (10 m); white flash every 4 s. Unique design: 25 ft (7.5 m) round cast iron plate tower with lantern; the tower resembles the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates in Athens, Greece. Tower painted white, lantern black. The original 6° Fresnel lens is on display at the South Portland Coast Guard Station. Mike Timberlake's photo is at right, Britten has a good photo, Anderson has a page with fine photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. A keeper's house was attached to the lighthouse in 1889 but demolished in 1934, when the light was concerted to city electric power. This is one of the many lighthouses known as "Bug Light." Volunteers from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club and the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse Trust organized to repaint and renovate the lighthouse in 2002, and it was relit in a ceremony on August 14, 2002. In 2003 a safety fence was built along the breakwater; some controversy arose since the fence is not historically accurate. Located in Bug Light Park (developed by the city in 1999) in South Portland; accessible by walking the short breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of South Portland. ARLHS USA-659; USCG 1-7699.

Portland Breakwater (Bug) Light, June 2005
Creative Commons photo by Mike Timberlake
* 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, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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 on Saturdays during the summer season. 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, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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 would take over maintenance from the Coast Guard; ALF has posted a report on an inspection visit in February 2006. In 2008 the lighthouse was listed for transfer under NHLPA. Beacon Preservation, which has worked with ALF on preservation of the Whaleback Ledge lighthouse (see below) has inspected the light and is considering an application for the transfer. 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.
*** Portland Head
1791 (Benjamin Lincoln). Active; focal plane 101 ft (31 m); white flash every 4 s, day and night; in addition, a directional light, at base of tower, shows narrow green, white, and red sectors to guide approaching ships. 80 ft (24.5 m) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white, attached through a workroom to a 2-story wood keeper's house (1891); DCB-224 aerobeacon. Lantern, watch room, and gallery painted black. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). The lower floor houses a museum; the 2° Fresnel lens (1885) and a 5° Fresnel lens from Squirrel Point Light are on display. The brick fog signal building was reconstructed in 1975. Ted Kerwin's photo is at right, Lighthouse Digest has an article on the history of the light station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a fine satellite view. Maine's oldest lighthouse and one of the nation's most historic, this light station stands on a dramatically beautiful headland south of Portland. Views of the lighthouse have appeared in countless movies and television commercials. The original lighthouse was 60 ft (18 m) tall; the upper section was added in 1864. A $260,000 restoration, completed in 2005, included painting, window replacement, and landscape improvements. Site open daily; museum open daily in the summer, weekends spring and fall; tower closed. Owner/site manager: Portland Head Light. ARLHS USA-661; Admiralty J0206; USCG 1-7565.
Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light, August 2008
Creative Commons photo
by Ted Kerwin
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, Huelse has a historic postcard view, 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. The ALF chapter's web site has numerous photos, Anderson has an excellent page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. 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. In 2008, following the installation of a new handrail, the tower was opened to guided tours. Located on an island off the mouth of the Saco River northeast of Biddeford Pool. Maineharbors.com has a chart. Most of the island is a wildlife sanctuary administered by the Maine Audubon Society. Accessible only by boat; dock and a boardwalk to the lighthouse are provided. In 2004 the chapter began offering guided tours from Biddeford Pool on Wednesdays and Saturdays during the summer. The lighthouse is visible from the Biddeford Pool Trail, an Audubon Society trail on the mainland; the trail head is at the end of Main Street, Biddeford Pool. Site open, tower open to guided tours during July and August. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse. ARLHS USA-905; Admiralty J0214; USCG 1-0095.
Goat Island (3)
1859 (station established 1834). Active; focal plane 38 ft (11.5 m); white flash every 6 s. 25 ft (7.5 m) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery; 300 mm lens. Fog horn (blast every 15 s). Tower painted white, lantern and gallary black. The original 1-1/2 story keeper's house is occupied in season by a caretaker. The fog bell is on display at the Kennebunkport Historical Society on North Street, Kennebunkport. Buildings painted white; roofs red. A webcam provides a current view of the lighthouse, Anderson has several photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The station was transferred to the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust in 1998 under the Maine Lights program. In 2008, the Coast Guard installed a new VLB-44 LED optic. In 2009 the Trust announced plans for a complete restoration of the station, including the rebuilding of the bell tower and other previously demolished buildings and restoration of the keeper's house. Located on an island in the mouth of Cape Porpoise Harbor southeast of Kennebunkport; the tower is not conspicuous in a Google satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Kennebunkport Conservation Trust. ARLHS USA-325; Admiralty J0218; USCG 1-0105.
* Cape Neddick ("Nubble Light")
1879. Active; focal plane 88 ft (27 m); red light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 41 ft (12.5 m) round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the original 2-story wood keeper's house; 4° Fresnel lens (1891, installed here in 1928). Tower painted white, lantern and gallary black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). Red brick oil house (1902). Brian Sawyer's photo is at right, a 2007 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. A sibling of Little River Light (see above), this is one of Maine's best known and most visited lighthouses. The lighthouse is almost always called Nubble Light. (In Maine, a "nubble" is a small, rocky island, and the lighthouse is located on the islet called Cape Neddick Nubble.) The light station was transferred to the Town of York under the Maine Lights program in 1998. The town maintains a welcome center and gift shop at Sohier Town Park on the mainland opposite the lighthouse. Friends of Nubble Light works for preservation of the light station. There are plans to renovate the keeper's house as a caretaker's house. In 2001 the foundation of the lighthouse was regrouted and painted, the walkway to the lighthouse was replaced, and a new boat ramp was built. In 2007, the walkway, boat landing and other outside facilities were heavily damaged by a nor'easter, and the town sought $1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs. Located on an island off Cape Neddick at York Beach. Accessible only by boat, but the view from Sohier Town Park is excellent. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Town of York. ARLHS USA-130; Admiralty J0226; USCG 1-0125.
Cape Neddick Light
Cape Neddick (Nubble) Light, September 2008
Creative Commons photo by Brian Sawyer
Boon Island (5)
1855 (station established 1799). Active; focal plane 137 ft (42 m); white flash every 5 s. 133 ft (41 m) round unpainted waveswept granite tower with lantern and gallery; solar-powered VRB-25 aerobeacon (1993). Lantern painted black. Fog horn (blast every 10 s). The original 2° Fresnel lens is on display at the Kittery Historical and Naval Museum. The keeper's house and all other light station buildings have been destroyed by storms; storms also claimed earlier light towers in 1804 and 1831. Lighthouse Digest has a story on the history of the light station, also a second article, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Anderson has good photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. This is the tallest New England lighthouse. In 2000, the lighthouse was leased by the American Lighthouse Foundation for preservation. The local ALF chapter, calling itself the Republic of Boon Island, has cheerfully declared its "independence." Located on a tiny islet about 9 miles (15 km) off the coast of York. Accessible only by boat; cruises from Portsmouth, NH, pass close to the island. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: Republic of Boon Island. ARLHS USA-071; Admiralty J0228; USCG 1-0155.
Whaleback Ledge (2)
1872 (station established 1831). Active; focal plane 59 ft (18 m); 2 white flashes every 10 s. 50 ft (15 m) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, incorporating 3-story keeper's quarters; rotating VRB-25 aerobeacon (2002). Tower unpainted, lantern and gallery panted black. Fog horn (2 blasts every 30 s). Herbie Robinson's photo is at right, Anderson has a page with good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos (misfiled under New Hampshire), and Google has a satellite view. In 2002 the Coast Guard removed the DCB-224 aerobeacon; the new beacon was converted to solar power in 2003. The town of Kittery has taken ownership of Wood Island, about 400 yards (365 m) north of the lighthouse, and plans to restore the former Coast Guard station there as a lighthouse museum. In November 2005, the American Lighthouse Foundation announced it was taking over maintenance of the lighthouse from the Coast Guard, and in February 2006 ALF conducted an inspection of the light. In 2007 the lighthouse became available for transfer under NHLPA. The Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Light, an ALF chapter, has applied for ownership. A competing application by Beacon Preservation has been withdrawn and the two groups have agreed to cooperate in preserving the lighthouse. In late 2009, the Coast Guard installed a modern VLB-44 LED optic in the tower. Located on a rocky reef in the mouth of the Piscataqua River off Jaffrey Point, NH. Accessible only by boat; cruises from Portsmouth, NH, pass the tower. Site and tower closed. Owner: U.S. Coast Guard. Site manager: American Lighthouse Foundation. ARLHS USA-963; Admiralty J0232; USCG 1-0200.

Inland Lighthouse
Ladies Delight
1908 (Frank Morse). Active in season; flashing white light. 16 ft (5 m) round stone tower, painted white, with wood lantern and gallery. Anderson has good photos. In 2000 the lighthouse was considered endangered, leaning and in need of restoration. Repairs in 2001 brought the tower back to vertical. (Although Lighthouse Explorer's photo clearly shows the lean, Anderson's photos show the lighthouse restored and in good condition.) In 2005 a new aluminum lantern was installed. The lighthouse has its own web page. Located on a reef in Lake Cobbosseecontee about 1 mile (1.5 km) south of Island Park in Manchester. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Cobbosseecontee Yacht Club. ARLHS USA-1127.

Whaleback Ledge Light, January 2007
Creative Commons photo by Herbie Robinson

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

  • Anasagunticook (1937), in Lake Anasagunticook near Canton, is not lighted.
  • Marginal Way marks the start of a popular seaside walk in Ogunquit; it is not lighted.

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index

Posted May 16, 2001. Checked and revised February 19, 2009. Lighthouses: 35. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.