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Lighthouses in Maine

Today, virtually all of Maine's working lights have been mechanized and many lighthouse keeper's cottages have become privately owned.

But it's still possible to enjoy the heritage of a keeper's life - many lights are open to visitors as museums, offering memorabilia and accounts of the "wicking" life.

Maine's 3,500-mile coastline includes thousands of islands and granite-topped ledges, many with lights of their own. Boat rides to islands such as Vinalhaven, Islesboro or Monhegan guarantee a lighthouse, or even two. But some of the most scenic lights are those that beckon from uninhabited rocks far out to sea.

The advent of global-positioning systems has meant the destruction of dozens of lights across the nation, but Maine continues to lead the cause of lighthouse preservation. Under a Maine Lights program, signed into law by President Clinton, 35 Maine lighthouses have been given away by the Coast Guard to be maintained and restored for public use by municipalities and non-profit groups. In this way, Maine's unique lighthouses may continue to beckon visitors to our shores for generations to come.

Maine lighthouses by Region
Southern Coast lighthouses

Whaleback 1831/1872 -- 75-foot gray granite conical tower on reef. Outer entrance to Portsmouth Harbor, Piscataqua River entrance; view from Fort Foster, Kittery. More information.

Cape Neddick 1879 -- 41-foot white cast-iron conical tower, on summit of Cape Neddick Nubble, an offshore rocky islet. Off Route 1A, York. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

Boon Island 1811/1855 -- 133-foot gray granite conical tower, six miles east of York Beach. More information.

Goat Island 1833/1859 -- 25-foot white cast-iron cylindrical tower. Cape Porpoise Harbor entrance, Kennebunkport. More information.

Wood Island 1808/1858 -- 49-foot white granite conical tower. Saco River entrance, Biddeford Pool, Biddeford. More information.

Greater Portland lighthouses

Spring Point Ledge 1897 -- 54-foot white brick and cast-iron cylindrical tower on breakwater. West side main channel, Portland Harbor, South Portland. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

map

Portland Breakwater 1855/1875 -- 20-foot off-white cast-iron cylindrical tower atop octagonal pier. West side main channel, Portland Harbor, South Portland.
Getting There: The lighthouse is at the end of Madison Street in Bug Light Park in South Portland. See map.

Ram Island Ledge 1905 -- 77-foot gray granite conical tower. North side Portland Harbor entrance, Portland, view from Portland Head

Portland Head 1791 -- 80-foot white fieldstone and brick conical tower. South side Portland Harbor entrance, Cape Elizabeth. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.
Getting There: See map.

Cape Elizabeth -- East Light 1827/1874 -- 67-foot white cast-iron conical tower on Staples Point, southeast tip of Cape Elizabeth, view from Dyer Point, active; West Light, 300 yards north, privately owned and inactive. More information.

Halfway Rock -- 77-foot white granite conical tower, 10 miles east of Cape Elizabeth off Harpswell Neck, can be seen from Portland Head or land's end, Route 24, Bailey Island. More information.

Midcoast lighthouses

Doubling Point 1898 -- 14-foot white wooden octagonal tower on granite pier with footbridge to shore. East bank Kennebec River, Arrowsic. More information

Squirrel Point 1898 -- White wooden octagonal tower. East bank Kennebec River, Georgetown, view from Parker Head Road, Phippsburg Center.

Perkins Island 1898 -- White wooden octagonal tower. West side of island, Kennebec River, view from Parker Head Road, Parker Head. More information

Seguin 1795/1887 -- 53-foot white cylindrical tower, two miles south of Kennebec River mouth, Georgetown, view from Popham Beach. More information.
Getting There: Printable map and directions to visit the island

Pond Island, 1821 -- 20-foot white cylindrical tower, summit of island. West side of Kennebec River entrance, view from Popham Beach, Phippsburg. More information

Hendricks Head 1829/1875 -- 39-foot white square tower, privately owned, Southport Island, Sheepscot River, Southport.

Burnt Island 1821 -- 26-foot white conical tower. West side, Boothbay Harbor entrance, Southport; view from Spruce Point, Boothbay Harbor. More information

The Cuckolds 1892/1907 -- 48-foot white wooden octagonal tower atop dwelling. Off Cape Newagen, west side entrance to Boothbay Harbor, view from town dock, Newagen. More information

Ram Island 1883/1977-- 30-foot white cylindrical tower, northwest side of island, east side of Boothbay Harbor entrance, view from Ocean Point, Route 96, Boothbay. More information

Pemaquid Point 1827/1857 -- 32-foot white fieldstone conical tower, Pemaquid Point, Bristol end of Route 130. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs.More information

Monhegan 1824/1850 -- 47-foot gray granite conical tower, 10 miles offshore, Monhegan Island, via car ferry from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, Port Clyde. Good views of light accessible by ferry; some walking probable; respect signs. More information

Franklin Island 1805/1857 -- 37-foot white cylindrical tower, northwest side of island, Muscongus Bay, Friendship.

Marshall Point 1832/1858 -- 25-foot white granite tower with footbridge. Southern tip of Marshall Point, east side southern entrance to Port Clyde Harbor, view from Lighthouse Road off Route 131, St. George. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information

Tenants Harbor 1857 -- 26-foot white cylindrical tower, privately owned. East side of Southern Island, view from the village. More information

Two Bush Island 1897 -- 42-foot white square tower. Off Tenant's Harbor, north side Two Bush Channel. More information

Whitehead Island 1807/1852 -- 34-foot gray granite tower, west side, southern entrance to Muscle Ridge Channel. Off Tenants Harbor, St. George. The Whitehead Lightkeepers Program. More information

Rockland Breakwater 1888/1902 -- 18-foot white square tower atop fog signal house. North side, Rockland Harbor entrance, Rockland. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information

Owls Head 1825 -- 20-foot white brick conical tower, south side entrance to Rockland Harbor, view from Lighthouse Road off Route 73. More information

Indian Island 1850/1874 -- 31-foot white square tower, privately owned, no longer active. East side off Rockport Harbor entrance, view from Rockport Marine. More information

Curtis Island 1836/1896 -- 26-foot white cylindrical tower. Camden Harbor entrance, view from Bay View Street, Camden. More information

Grindel Point 1851/1874 -- 32-foot white pyramidal tower, privately owned. Islesboro, auto ferry from Lincolnville Beach; north side entrance to Gilkey Harbor. Good views of light accessible by ferry; some walking probable; respect signs. More information

Heron Neck 1854 -- 22-foot white cylindrical tower. Green Island, Vinalhaven, ferry from Rockland. More information.

Brown's Head 1832/1857 -- 24-foot white brick cylindrical tower. Fox Islands Thorofare, Vinalhaven, ferry from Rockland. More information.

Goose Rocks 1890 -- 51-foot white, cast-iron conical tower. Fox Island Thorofare, between North Haven and Vinalhaven, via ferry. More information.

Saddleback Ledge 1839 -- 42-foot gray granite conical tower. Between Isle au Haut and Vinalhaven, via ferry. More information.

Matinicus Rock 1827/1857 -- Two 48-foot gray granite cylindrical towers, five miles southeast of Matinicus Island. More information.

Fort Point 1836/1857 -- 26-foot white square tower. Penobscot River mouth, east end of Cape Jellison, view end of Fort Point Road, off Route 1, Stockton Springs. Good views of light accessible by ferry; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

Isle au Haut 1907 -- 48-foot white cylindrical brick tower with footbridge to shore. Robinson Point, Isle au Haut via ferry. Good views of light accessible by ferry; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

Downeast/Acadia lighthouses

Dice Head 1829 -- 45-foot white conical granite and fieldstone tower, privately owned, Castine Harbor entrance, view end of Lighthouse Road, Castine. Tower and/or grounds privately owned; respect signs. More information.

Mark Island 1857 -- 26-foot white square tower, west entrance to Deer Island Thorofare, Stonington. More information

Eagle Island 1839/1858 -- 28-foot conical tower, East Penobscot Bay, Deer Isle. More information.

Pumpkin Island 1854 -- 25-foot white conical stone tower, privately owned. West end of Eggemoggin Reach, view from end of Eggemoggin Road, off Route 15, Little Deer Isle. More information.

Blue Hill Bay 1856 -- 22-foot white cylindrical tower, Green Island, Brooklin, inactive; west side of Blue Hill Bay. Tower and/or grounds privately owned; respect signs. More information.

Burnt Coat Harbor 1872 -- 33-foot white square tower. Hockamock Head, Swans Island, view from ferry from Bass Harbor. Good views of light accessible by ferry; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

Bass Harbor Head 1858 -- 26-foot white cylindrical tower. Southern end of Mount Desert Island, view end of Lighthouse Road off Route 102A, Bass Harbor. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.

Bear Island 1839/1889 -- 25-foot white cylindrical tower. Northeast Harbor entrance, Cranberry Isles. More information.

Baker Island 1828/1855 -- 43-foot white stone cylindrical tower, center of island. Cranberry Isles, outer entrance to Frenchman Bay. More information.

Great Duck Island 1890 -- 42-foot white cylindrical tower. Off Cranberry Isles, east side of entrance to Blue Hill Bay, Frenchboro. More information.

Egg Rock 1875 -- 40-foot white square tower atop dwelling. Frenchman's Bay entrance, Winter Harbor, view from Park Loop Road, Bar Harbor. More information.

Mount Desert Rock 1830 -- 58-foot gray granite conical tower. 18 miles southeast of Mount Desert Island. More information.

Winter Harbor 1856 -- 19-foot white cylindrical tower, privately owned. Mark Island, west side of entrance to Winter Harbor, view from Loop Road. More information.

Prospect Harbor Point 1850/1891-- Prospect Harbor entrance, view Route 186, Gouldsboro. Tower and/or grounds privately owned; respect signs. More information.

Narraguagus (Pond Island) 1853 -- 55-foot white stone cylindrical tower, privately owned. Pond Island, Milbridge, west side entrance to Narraguagus Bay. Tower and/or grounds privately owned; respect signs. More information.

Petit Manan 1817/1855 -- 119-foot gray granite conical tower. Petit Manan Island, Milbridge, west side entrance to Harrington Bay. More information.

Nash Island 1838/1873 -- 30-foot white square tower. Off Cape Split, Addison, east side entrance to Pleasant Bay. More information.

Moose Peak 1827 -- 57-foot white conical tower, southeast end of Mistake Island, Jonesport. More information.

Libby Island 1817 -- 42-foot white granite conical tower on Southwest Island. Machias Bay entrance, Machiasport. More information.

Little River 1847 -- 41-foot white conical cast-iron tower. Little River Island, entrance to Cutler Harbor. More information.

Whitlock's Mill 1892/1910 -- 32-foot white conical tower. South bank, St. Croix River, below Calais. More information.

Lubec Channel 1890 -- 53-foot white conical tower. West side, St. Croix River channel, Lubec. More information.

West Quoddy Head 1808/1858 -- 49-foot red-and-white horizontally banded brick conical tower. West side entrance, St. Croix River and Cobscook Bay, view end of South Lubec Road, off Route 189, Lubec. Good views of light accessible by car; some walking probable; respect signs. More information.