Although Portland Head Light may be the most visited,
photographed and well-known lighthouse in the United States, very few
people know of the amazing stories and rich history of the historic
structure.
However, that has now changed with the release of the new
book, Portland Head Light, A Pictorial Journey Through Time,
written and compiled by Timothy Harrison,
president of the Maine based nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation.
Harrison, who has been collecting historical information on Maine’s
lighthouses for years, said, “Although this book was a labor of love, it was
like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. You can’t just go to a file cabinet
and pull all the images and history out. I needed to be a detective of sorts
to locate many of the images and stories. Thankfully, they have now been
saved and shared in one book that will preserve the history of this icon of
Maine for future generations.”
Fortunately, Harrison was able to get a lot of help from a number of people
including descendants of the Strout family who kept the light at
Harrison and Sterling Featured
on TV for New Book
Photo by Kathleen Finnegan
ALF
president Timothy Harrison, and
his
new book, “Portland Head Light, A
Pictorial Journey Through Time,” was recently featured on an evening
segment
of
the Portland Maine, CBS TV news
with
reporter Amy Sinclair.
The
interview, taped appropriately at Portland Head Light, also included an
interview with John Sterling, grandson
of Robert
T. Sterling, the last official
keeper of
the United States Lighthouse Service to serve at Portland Head Light,
who provided many of the historical photographs of his family that
appear
in the
book.
Photo by Kathleen Finnegan
Portland Head Light for three generations, and John
Sterling, the grandson of Robert T. Sterling, the last official United
States Lighthouse Service keeper to serve at Portland Head Light. Other
rare photos came from the collection of Shirley Morong, wife of a Maine
lighthouse keeper, who saved and documented their friendships with many
of Maine’s lighthouse families.
Jeremy D’Entremont, a noted New England lighthouse
historian and author who maintains lighthouse web sites, couldn’t agree
more, saying, “I loved the wide variety of fascinating photos of the
structures at Portland Head Light. There are many rare photos that I
have never seen before and stories that I read for the first time.”
Harrison said that although he believes historians will
love the book, the real challenge was how to make the book appealing to
Mainers and tourists alike,
especially since the book was published to help raise money for the
lighthouse preservation projects of the American Lighthouse Foundation.
Kathleen Finnegan, who designed the layout for the book, said she believes
that goal was accomplished. John Sterling agreed with her saying, “The
pictures, the format and the history is set up so a wide range of people
will enjoy it.”
Jeanne Gross, Director of The Museum at Portland Head Light concurred with
Finnegan and Sterling, saying, “For many, the book will be a elightful
introduction to Portland Head Light and will complement the exhibits in the
museum with wonderful stories and photographs of the keepers, families and
even their pets.”
Bob Trapani, Jr., executive director of the American Lighthouse Foundation
added, “I was amazed at a glance how effectively the book’s vintage pictures
blended with the contemporary color photos to bridge time and history at
Portland Head Light. The reader’s attention will be grabbed by the book’s
fascinating photos and then captured by the accompanying accounts that
wonderfully complement the volume.”
“The station at Portland Head Light has changed dramatically over the years,
something that few people realize when visiting it and now they can see the
changes in the photographs compiled in this fascinating book,” said
Harrison.
Harrison went on to point out the many color images showing the different
colors of shingles and trim used over the years on the keeper’s
house. In addition there are photos of the tower at
various stages of height, buildings that were replaced, and even photos
of when the tower was brown during a 1950’s restoration. The book also
features many images of how Portland Head Light was used by businesses
and corporations in the promotion of various
Photo by Kathleen FInnegan
Tim Harrison delivers the first books
to Portland Head Light
products and services over the years. Also included are information on
movies that were filmed at the lighthouse, images of vintage postcards and
even how Portland Head Light was used in the mail.
The book also includes heartwarming stories about the pets of the keepers,
an eerie account of a sea serpent, a destructive tidal wave, as
well as the supernatural and naturally there are chapters on Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow and Fort Williams. As an extra bonus the book includes chapters
with vintage and contemporary photos of the lighthouses nearby with
historical information on each of them.
Although everyone loves the architectural aspects and other unique history
associated with Portland Head Light, the one common theme everyone stressed
is that without the lighthouse keepers and their families, lighthouses were
just buildings. D’Entremont went on to say, “The people brought the
structures to life, and it’s important that we remember them now since
traditional lighthouse keeping is fading into history. This book is a
wonderful tribute to the colorful personalities that lived for more than two
centuries at Portland Head Light.”
Sterling agreed, saying, “I am touched and honored that my grandfather
Robert T. Sterling is such a large part of the book. It is very meaningful
to share with others and have others value our family’s rich heritage to
Portland Head Light and the coast of Maine, something that might otherwise
have been lost in time.”
According to Harrison, the nonprofit group needed to come up with new ways
to raise public awareness for their lighthouse preservation projects
Harrison Interviewed Live
on Radio-TV
Photo by Kathleen Finnegan
Tim is shown here in the middle, with
program hosts Ray Richardson seated to
the left and Ted Talbot standing.
Tim Harrison, president of the American
Lighthouse Foundation was recently interviewed on Maine’s radio station
WLOB, which was also simultaneously
broadcast live on Fox 23 TV about his
new book on Portland Head.
The interview went into two segments,
which was about a total of twenty
minutes on the air, which is an
identity
in broadcast time.
Naturally the interview centered on the
Portland Head Light book but also
developed into helping promote our
lighthouse preservation efforts.
to enable them to obtain donations for many lesser-known
lighthouses that need restoration and immediate care. They hope this
book will be a catalyst for that ambition
Trapani went on to say, “It was important to have this
book published because lighthouse preservation is not generally on the
radar screen of the public, yet countless thousands of locals and
tourists journey to a historic site like Portland Head Light each year
to find that all elusive element of relaxation or to add another special
memory to their family’s vacation.”
He continued, “If we are to make the public more aware of
the plight of many of our other lighthouses, there is no better place to
start than by introducing people to
the fragile magnificence of lighthouses and their rich
history and how they can help make a difference than through the pages of
this book on Portland Head Light.”
The American Lighthouse Foundation currently has twenty-two lighthouses that
need restoration and ongoing maintenance. The group also owns and operates
the nonprofit Museum of Lighthouse History, which strives to create
educational benefits for school children as well as adults.
The new book, Portland Head Light, A Pictorial Journey Through Time,
is currently available from the Museum of Lighthouse History, in Wells. The
book is also available through our web site, or by calling 207-646-0245.
