Throughout the history of lighthouses, keepers could not tend the light or clean the tower from top to bottom without climbing a set of stairs to reach the lantern. It was task that could be required a number of times per day and undertaken as just part of the job. If the lighthouse was a […]
A Tornado at Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse
The following story appeared in the June 6, 1865 edition of The Portland Daily Press. James Mariner was the keeper of the Two Lights at Cape Elizabeth during this time. Mr. Mariner served as keeper of this light station from 1861 to 1869. At the time, the original 1828 east and west towers at Cape […]
Keeper Sounds Fog Bell by Hand for Two Nights
The following account appeared in the July 1933 Lighthouse Service Bulletin, which was issued monthly by the United States Lighthouse Service from 1912 to 1939… “Thomas L. Chase, keeper of Long Point Light Station, Provincetown, Mass., struck the thousand-pound fog bell by hand during two nights of fog, when the striking mechanism got out of […]
Three Vessels Ashore at Wood Island Light in One Day
The following news article entitled, “Perils of the Sea” appeared in the Portland Press Daily on December 27, 1872. Three vessels went ashore at Wood Island Light on Christmas Eve. The keeper at the time was Albert Norwood. The article read as follows: “Three vessels went ashore on Wood Island Tuesday the 24th. The schooner […]
A Keeper’s Letter from Whaleback Lighthouse
The following letter by an unnamed keeper at Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery, Maine, appeared in the March 1957 issue of the Maine Coast Fisherman… “Well, here it is the end of January already, and the year is going by so fast that we here at Whaleback can scarcely believe it. In our last letter, I […]
The Lantern at Little River Light is Sealed and Gleaming
The American Lighthouse Foundation was able to use every bit of the 2019 work season by completing a $17,640 project at the end of October on the lantern at Little River Lighthouse in Cutler, Maine. The project’s scope of work included the replacement of all ten lantern panes of glass, each of which contained cracks […]
A Fresh Shine Adorns Portsmouth Harbor Light
The present Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse has been helping guide countless thousands of mariners into the protective confines of the Piscataqua River since 1878. Still today, large commercial ships deliver petroleum products, gypsum, fish products, and salt to various ports along the river, while local fishermen work the surrounding waters and a plethora of recreational craft […]
Keeper Tasked with Marking Shipwreck
Lighthouse enthusiasts are quite familiar with the responsibilities of bygone lightkeepers. First and foremost, keepers were expected to maintain a good light each and every night, and during periods of poor visibility, ensure the fog signal was sounding its audible warning. Of course, maintaining the light station buildings in good condition was also a big […]
Storm Moved Bell Tower at Little River
The following letter was written by Ruth Corbett Farris, daughter of Little River Light Station keeper Willie Corbett. The letter was published in the December 1954 edition of the Maine Coast Fisherman. Bell Tower Moves Cutler, Maine – “Here is a picture for the lighthouse news,” writes Mrs. Glenn Farris of Cutler. “It was Hurricane […]
Letter Written by Keeper’s Wife at Race Point Light
The following letter was written by Frances Hallett, wife of Race Point Light Station keeper Osborne Earle Hallett (1945-1955). The letter was published in the September 1952 edition of the Maine Coast Fisherman. P’Town Light Joins Up Race Point Light, Provincetown – “We enjoy reading MCF Magazine,” says Mrs. Osborne Hallett, “especially the doings at […]
Help Our Lighthouses Shine Brighter in 2020!
The American Lighthouse Foundation invites YOU to be a part of an effort in 2019-2020 to raise the following funds for work projects at three of our lighthouses. Each lighthouse has some very important work necessary that together, we will make sure the lighthouse is looking its best in the coming year! Browns Head Lighthouse […]
Maine’s “Open Lighthouse Day” Welcomes the Public with Free Admission on September 14, 2019
Augusta, ME (September 2019) – Maine’s iconic coastal sentinels will take center stage during Maine’s 10th Annual Open Lighthouse Day, to be held Saturday, September 14th. Twenty-two lighthouses, including many not typically open to the public, will welcome visitors with free entry for one day in locations from Kennebunkport to Lubec. This popular family-friendly event, […]
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