Burnt Island Lighthouse, Boothbay Harbor Maine
Burnt Island Lighthouse, Boothbay Harbor Maine
Built in 1821, the Burnt Island lighthouse is Maine's third oldest. Standing on an island at the west side of the entrance to Boothbay Harbor roughly 2.5 miles northwest of the Ram Island light, the original 30 foot, conical rubblestone tower stands not only as a marker of the harbor entrance but as a warning of the dangerous shoals nearby. in 1857, the original Lewis Patent reflectors were by a fourth order Fresnel lens. A 1.5 story keeper's residence with a covered walkway to the tower were also added that same year. The light caused some confusion among mariners and was blamed for several shipwrecks into the dangerous rocks known as The Cuckolds some three miles to the south. In 1888, the light was modified to better facilitate navigation (The Cuckolds lighthouse was also built in 1892 to further aid the trip in and out of Boothbay Harbor).
The Burnt Island lighthouse was the last in New England to be updated from kerosene to electricity in 1962 and was automated in 1989. Ownership of the station was transferred to the Maine Department of Marine Resources under the Maine Lights Program in early 1998. A private, non-profit group known as the Burnt Island Lighthouse Society actively works to preserve the site, which the state has developed into the Burnt Island Living Lighthouse where tourists find the light station operating much as it did in the 1800s. The site is very well preserved and still has its keepers residence and walkway, original fuel house, barn (1877), boathouse (1880), oil house (1899), and a hen house (1907). The first fourth order Fresnel lens was replaced by a second similar lens which was used until 1961 when it was replaced by a 300mm optic. Both Fresnels are on display at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland.
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After significant restoration efforts in the early 2000s, the light was rededicated in mid-2003. The site (excluding the tower which is still an active aid to navigation) is open to the public (207-633-9542) but accessible only by boat. The Burnt Island lighthouse can be seen from the east side of Boothbay Harbor but is best viewed via local boat tours out of Boothbay Harbor. The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath also offers tours in season
Burnt Island & Boothbay Harbor
Burnt Island is a beautiful five-acre island owned by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. It is near the mainland and approximately one mile from the port of Boothbay Harbor. The historic buildings at this lighthouse station have been carefully restored and transformed into an exceptionally fine educational facility. During the summer programs are offered in navigation and maritime history, natural history, art, literature and more. Boat trips transport passengers to the island.
Burnt Island ME 1821 to Today
Follow the history of the Burnt Island Light Station from 1821 to today. Located on an island at the entrance to Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
Burnt Island Lighthouse ME
A selection of photos of the Burnt Island Light Station educational programs and their participants.
Burnt Island Lighthouse - Photos by Sara R. Moore
June 21, 2017 was one of our more memorable Business After Hours. We had the pleasure of taking a jaunt with Balmy Day Cruises to the historic Burnt Island Lighthouse! The keepers of this lighthouse are lovingly restoring this monument to mariners. For more information or to help with donations to keep this light burning:
Burnt Island Light
The Burnt Island Light, built in 1821, is the second oldest surviving lighthouse in Maine. It hosts a living history museum run by the state Department of Marine Resources. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Burnt Island Light Station on November 23, 1977.
Burnt Island lies at the western entrance to Boothbay Harbor, a large natural harbor with the town of the same name at its northeastern corner. The island took its name from the practice of burning the island's vegetation in order to keep the land clear for sheep grazing.
Funds for building a light for Boothbay Harbor were appropriated in March 1821, and a petition by town officials and pilots for a lighthouse on the island met with purchase of the island within a few days. A granite rubble tower, lined with brick, was erected, together with a stone keeper's house, and late that summer the light was first exhibited, using the system of whale oil lamps and parabolic reflectors typical of the time. The original keeper's house was replaced in 1857 with the frame house that survives today; a covered walkway joined the house and the tower. At the same time a fourth order Fresnel lens was installed, the first of many changes in the lighting and characteristic of the beacon.
The original characteristic was a fixed white light; the intent of the light was to attract traffic to the harbor, not to warn of danger. In 1888, the light was blocked in sector to the southwest to prevent it from being seen by traffic coming up the coast from the south until they had cleared the Cuckolds, a pair of rocky islands at the mouth of Booth Bay. A year later the characteristic was changed again, this time to fixed red with two white sectors indicating the safe channels to either side of Squirrel Island. This brought about confusion with the Ram Island Light, and in 1901 the fixed light was removed and replaced with a rotating beacon consisting of a square box with a lens on each face. This lens served until 1962, when it was retired to a museum and replaced with an electrified beacon. It was the last lighthouse in Maine to be converted from kerosene.
A pyramidal wooden tower was constructed in 1895 to hold a fog bell. This was demolished in 1962 when the bell was moved to a metal frame and rung with an electric striker instead of clockwork. The station was automated in 1988, one of the last Maine stations to be manned.
In 1998 the island and light station were transferred to the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources as part of the Maine Lighthouse Program. The buildings have been restored, as far as possible, to their 1950s condition, and in 2003 a living history program was inaugurated.
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Castine & Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Impressions of Castine and Boothbay Harbor, Maine, in autumn 2014.
Boothbay Harbor Boat ride to Burnt Island
Boothbay Harbor Boat ride to Burnt Island
On the Waterfront at Wotton's Wharf, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Views of the waterfront at Wotton's Wharf, Boothbay Harbor, Maine, including a variety of sailboats and motorcraft at the marina and in the harbor.
The largish vessel docked at the wharf was the American Glory, operated by American Cruise Lines. She was on an eight-day cruise along the coast of Maine.
The lighthouse briefly glimpsed in the distance is Burnt Island Light.
Video shot at Boothbay Harbor on the evening of Sunday, September 15, 2013.
pemaquid point lighthouse boothbay harbor maine
cuuise with capn fishs boothbay harbor maine pier 1.call 800-636-3244 and visit mainewhales.com
On the Waterfront in Boothbay Harbor, Maine ~ scenes at the piers & on the footbridge
On the busy waterfront in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Here we see some of the excursion boats that leave from the piers just a few steps from the center of town. Motor craft take sightseers on whale-watching tours; others tour the harbor or go out to Squirrel Island or Monhegan Island or visit offshore lighthouses. You can also board a schooner or sloop for a mid-day or evening sail around the harbor.
Later, we cross the famous wooden footbridge that runs across a narrow stretch of the harbor and connects two parts of the town.
Construction underway on sports complex in Lewiston
Lewiston's state of the art facility will be ready in August of 2018
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The Inn at Cuckolds Lighthouse - Fox23 News Feature
The Inn at Cuckolds Lighthouse is the result of a 10-year effort to preserve an historic lighthouse at the entrance to Boothbay Harbor. The lighthouse and keepers' house have been rebuilt to look like the originals, but the interior of the keeper's house has been transformed into a luxurious, island bed and breakfast. This video was produced by Fox23 News in Portland, Maine, and originally aired July 6, 2014.
A peaceful evening in Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Views of the harbor and offshore islands from Topside, the inn on the hill, in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.
The small expedition cruise ship Yorktown glides past sailboats and fishing boats as it heads out to sea. The Burnt Island lighthouse is also glimpsed in this video.
Video shot on the evening of Tuesday, September 17, 2013.
Boothbay Harbor Fisherman's Festival
Fisherman's Festival is an annual three day event that takes place during the last weekend in April in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and benefits the Fisherman's Memorial Fund and Scholarship Fund. Events included: Shrimp Princess Pageant, Pancake breakfast, Cod & Small Cod Relay Races, Trap Hauling Competition, Lobster Crate Running, Tug-of-War, Oyster Shucking Contest, Arts & Crafts, Fish Fry, Burnt Island Tours, Live music by local bands, Memorial Service, Blessing of the Fleet, and much more. Join us each year - the last weekend in April - for a great kick off into the new season!
Lighthouse Tour with Dian McKeithan Miller
Dian McKeithan Miller, daughter of the last lightkeeper (1941-1951) of the Port Boca Grande Light shows park manager Chad Lach how the lighthouse was laid out when she lived there.
Florida Lighthouse Day Celebration
September 20, 2008.
Maine Summah 2007
Summertime in Maine is always fun. The rocky coast, walks on the shores of the lakes and rivers. Beautiful sunsets and sandy beaches. The lobsters are great too!
boothbay harbor maine pier 7 booth removal
booth replacement pier 7 boothbay harbor maine
Maine Experience: Seguin Island Light Station
At the mouth of the Kennebec River sits Seguin Island Light Station, the second-oldest lighthouse in Maine and commissioned by President George Washington in 1795. Since 1857, sailors have been guided by its unique, ingeniously designed 9-foot lens that uses just one lamp to cast a light beam that can be seen 20 miles away.
Maine Public, every day it's authentic.
Maine Spirits in Boothbay Harbor
Maine Spirits with Lisa Orne in Boothbay Harbor.