Maine Leuchttürme |
By Ellie Pillsbury Stengel
When someone mentions the coast of Maine to me, I think about sandy beaches contrasting with rockbound shores, and harbors of beautiful fishing boats and pleasure craft. But first and foremost I think of lighthouses.
Maine’s lights have become increasingly popular. Residents and visitors alike find extensive selections of lighthouse memorabilia in gift shops. Photographers, artists, craftspeople and writers pay tribute to the lights in their work. Many hooks and videos are available. One video I found breathtaking, informative and well produced is Light Spirit: Lighthouses of the Maine Coast narrated by Jack Perkins.
Why the huge popularity of lighthouses? There may be as many reasons as there are lighthouses, and in Maine that would be .more than sixty. (The count varies by source because of island and abutting state and province lights which are sometimes included in Maine’s count.) Their rugged beauty, their diversity of sizes and shapes, the often breathtaking locations, and the reminders of the past – these are just a few of the draws of the lights. Symbols of guidance and endurance, they are rich in history and in stories told and untold.
Imagine the life of the lightkeeper, whose responsibilities were many and whose life was isolated and challenging. Keeping the light fueled and the lens cleaned and operating were continuous tasks. Maintaining the other buildings and property at the mercy of the sea, securing fresh water and food, and family responsibilities including schooling and health care were all part of the job.Maine’s oldest light, at Portland Head, was commissioned by George Washington and completed in 1791. Dozens of others soon followed, of various designs. These include round brick towers, tapered square wooden towers, octagonal, cast iron, and "spark-plug" designs. The unique size and shape of each lighthouse and its location are pan of the thrill of hunting Maine’s lights.
Remembering that sailors’ lives depended on the lights gives you an idea of the value of lighthouses and the grave responsibilities of their keepers. Maritime traffic was essential to commerce in the 1700s and still is today. Lacking modern electronics and communication systems, the lights were necessary both as markers to safe harbors and as warnings of shoals and other obstacles.
The system of lights made up a watery road map of the maritime highways. Each light was recognisable due to its distinct combination of size and shape and the color and flashing sequence of its light.
The lenses and the patterns of flashing and colors make an interesting study. To learn more, I visited the Shore Village Museum in Rockland. Founder Ken Black ("Mister Lighthouse") was away, but my tour led by Museum Curator Robert Davis would be difficult to surpass.
Shore Village Museum boasts the largest collection of lenses in the United States, including a Class Two lens nearly ten feet in height. This is a Fresnel lens which dates back to the early 1800s; its magnificent design allowed the amplification of a relatively small source light, As Maine’s lighthouses have been automated in recent years, the beautiful glass lenses—each a work of art—have been replaced by much smaller solar powered lenses capable of producing the same degree of light. I viewed numerous lenses and learned about light refraction, the rotation of the lens, and the use of color panels. Exhibits of fog bells and horns are also included. Located on Limerock Street, this museum, a "must" for lighthouse enthusiasts, is open from June to mid-October.
My favorite light is West Quoddy Head, located in Lubec, where the sun rises first in the continental United States. Its distinctive red and white stripes make it easy to recognize and it is one-of-a-kind in Maine, Visitors here will enjoy the spacious park and the rugged shore with its magnificent views. West Quoddy Head Light was builtoriginally in 1808 and reconstructed in 1858. It is situated on a 44-foot cliff overlooking Quoddy Narrows, which separates the United States from Canada; across the channel is Campo-bello Island. Here in Washington County the craggy beauty of the coast remains virtually untouched, unspoiled and largely undiscovered.
Bass Harbor Head Light was built in 1858 and marks the entrance to Blue Hill Bay. Mt. Desert Island, whose natural beauty attracts thousands of visitors, especially to Acadia National Park, is a setting for small picturesque harbors and fishing villages reminiscent of days gone by. Bass Harbor Head Light, which I find magnificent, is situated on a rocky promontory where the beauty of the light presents an awe-inspiring vision.
Another favorite of mine is Fort Point Light. It may not be among the most visited in the state, but its appeal is significant. Something about the place made me feel as though I might have been there in another time. As I stood there, I could easily imagine how it might have been a hundred years ago or more. Fort Point Light was built in 1836 and is located in Stockton Springs, Just north of Searsport. (In Stockton Springs follow the Fort Point State Park signs to Cape jellison.) Situated at the mouth of the Penobscot River, Fort Point was one of the lights guiding the way up the river to the lumbering port of Bangor. During the 19th century, great numbers of lumber ships passed on a regular basis. Near the light are the ruins of Fort Pownall, built in 1759 as a military outpost established during the French and Indian War. This area is now a part of Fort Point State Park and Historic Site.
Thanks to the initial efforts of Maine’s Island Institute, the Maine Lights Program was established by Congress, ensuring the preservation of many Maine lighthouses for years to come. And whether you are a history buff, are enthralled with lighthouses, or just love the coast, the "Lighthouse Adventure" is a great experience for all ages. Lighthouses
(I) close-up views of light; accessible by car; some walking probable
(2) good views of light; accessible by ferry; some walking probable
(3) tower and/or ground privately owned Please respect signs
Coastal South to North
WHALEBACK
Kitlery, Piscataqua River entrance
CAPENEDDICK (I)
York, off Ruute 1A
BOON ISLAND
York Beach, 6 miles east
GOAT ISLAND
Kennebunkport, Cape Porpoise Harbor entrance
WOOD ISLAND
Biddeford, Saco River entrance, Biddeford Pool
SPRING POINT LEDGE (I)
South Portland, west side main channel, Portland Harbor
PORTLAND BREAKWATER
South Portland, west side main channel, Portland Harbor
RAM ISLAND LEDGE
Portland, north side Portland Harbor entrance
PORTLAND HEAD (I)
Cape Elizabeth, south side Portland Harbor entrance
CAPE ELIZABETH (I)
Cape Elizabeth, southern extremity
HALFWAY ROCK
10 miles east of Cape Elizabeth
DOUBLING POINT
Arrowsic, east bank Kenncbec River
SQUIRREL POINT
Arrowsic, east bank Kennebec River
PERKINS ISLANDGeorgetown, Kennebcc River
POND ISLAND
Phippsburg, off Popham Beach
SEGUIN
Georgetown, 2 miles south of Kennebec River mouth
HENDRICKS HEAD (3)
Southport, Southport Island, Sheep scot River
BURNT ISLAND
Southport, Boothbay Harbor entrance
THE CUCKOLDS
Boothbay, off Cape Newagen
RAM ISLAND
Booihbay, off Cape Newagen
PEMAQUID POINT (I)
Bristol, Pemaquid Point
MONHECAN ISLAND (2)
Monhegan Pli.,Monhegan Island (passenger ferry)
FRANKLIN ISLAND
Friendship, Muscongus Bay
MARSHALL POINT (I)
St. George, Port Clyde Harbor entrance
TENANTS HARBOR (3)
St. George, Southern Island, Tenants Harbor
TWO BUSH ISLAND
St. George, ort’Tenants Harbor
WHITEHEAD ISLANDSt. George, off Tenants Harbor
ROCKLAND BREAKWATER (I)
Rockland, Rockland Harbor entrance
OWLS HEAD (I)
Owls Head
INDIAN ISLAND
Rockport, Rockport Harbor entrance
CURTIS ISLAND
Camden, Camden Harbor entrance
GRINDLE POINT (2)
Islesboro (auto ferry)
HERON NECK
Vinalhaven, Green Island
BROWN’S HEAD (2»
Vinalhaven (auto ferry), Fox Island Thorofare
GOOSE ROCKS
between North Haven and Vinalhaven, Fox Island Thorofare
SADDLEBACK LEDGE
between Isle au Haul and Vinalhaven
MATINICUS ROCKMatinicus PH., south of Matinicus Island
FORT POINT (I)
Stocklon Springs, Penobscot River mouth
DYCES HEAD (3)
Castinc, Castine Harbor entrance
ISLEAUHAUT (2)
Isle au Haut (passenger ferry),, Robinson Point
MARK ISLAND
Deer Isle, Deer Isle Thorofare
EAGLE ISLAND
Deer Isle, East Pcnobscol Bay
PUMPKIN ISLAND (1,3)
Deer Isle, west of Little Deer Isle
BLUE HILL BAY
Blue Hill, Green Island
BURNT COAT HARBOR (2)
Swan’s Island, Hockamock Head
BASS HARBOR HEAD (I)
Southwest Harbor. Bass Harbor
BEAR ISLAND
Cranberry Isles, Northeast Harbor entrance
BAKER ISLAND
Cranberry Isles
GREAT DUCK ISLAND
Frenchboro, off Cranberry Isles
EGG ROCK
Winter Harbor, Frenchman’s Bay entrance
MOUNT DESERT ROCK
Mount Desert Island, 20 miles south
WINTER HARBOR
Winter Harbor. Mark Island
PROSPECT HARBOR (3)
Gouldsboro, Prospect Harbor entrance
PETIT MANAN
Milbridge, Petit Manan Island
NARRAGUAGUS
Milbridyc. Pond Island
NASH ISLAND
Addison, off Cape Split
MOOSE PEAK
Jonesport, .Mistake Island
LIBBY ISLANDMachiasport, Machias Bay entrance
LITTLE RIVER
Cutler, Little River island
WHITLOCK’S MILL
Calais, West Bank of St. Croix River
LUBEC CHANNEL
1-uhec
WEST QUODDY HEAD (I)
Lubec
Inland
LADIES-DELIGHT (I)
Manchester. Pond Rd,
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