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Pemaquid Point, MaineHarbour
Lights Open Edition #435 The beckoning water off Maine’s
coastline holds plentiful bounty and unpredictable peril. Fishing provides
a livelihood for many towns, giving both sustenance and income. But on
dark days, when the fog engulfs the harbor or a nor’easter slams the
shore, fishing vessels can easily founder in the frigid seas. If it
weren’t for the many lighthouses dotting Maine’s coastline, many lives
and ships would be lost. Pemaquid Point,
an outcropping at the entrance to Muscongus Bay, was an ideal spot for a
lighthouse. Originally built in 1827, the rubblestone lighthouse was
constructed at a cost of only $2,800. But the tower began to shed its
stones soon after completion. Apparently, the mason who laid the original
mortar and stone used inferior materials. Another contractor was hired in
1835 to rebuild the tower with double walls, this time with instructions
to use only the best materials and fresh water to mix the mortar. Although
standing only 38 feet high, the lighthouse tower sits on a high cliff,
resulting in a 79-foot focal plane. In 1857, the antiquated lighting
system was replaced with a fourth order Fresnel lens. Mariners could now
see the flashing beacon for 14 nautical miles. In that same year, the
stone keeper’s cottage, suffering from the same poor workmanship as the
original tower, was replaced by the current white frame dwelling. Automated in
1934, Pemaquid Point was one of the first stations in the country to
operate without a keeper’s assistance. This historic beacon, with its
11,000 candlepower, has operated uninterrupted until the present day. Visitors to
this picturesque sentinel are usually awestruck by the natural rock
sculptures lying just below the light. Incredible formations have been
carved out by centuries of pounding surf. Standing on the ancient granite
bluff on a clear day, you can sometimes see beautiful Mohegan Island,
lying ten miles to the east.
Other Pemaquid Point ME Lighthouses by Harbour Lights
[site/styles/BottomPage.htm] Photography by Paul
L. Brady © Harbour Lights |
