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| Pemaquid Point Lighthouse | |
<< BACK Near where the
Pemaquid light now stands, a ship, the Angel Gabriel, wrecked in
1635 while travelling rom Bristol England to Pemaquid, killing many
of the region's original settlers, mainly from the
Blaisdell family.
The Blaisdell Family Association now provides the major portion of the
funding to keep the Pemaquid light available to the public.
Looking much like it did in this picture, taken in the
early 1800's, A light at Pemaquid Point has guarded the
entrance to Bristol harbor for more than 300 years.
In1826, a stone tower was built, replacing a wooden
structure that had held a light aloft for more than 100
years. The current keeper's quarters were
built at the same time. The wooden bell house,
with its stone chimney was an original building from the
early 1700's.
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| The drive out to Pemaquid is very enjoyable, due to the ever varying scenery of Maine's rugged and historically rich coastline towns and beaches. |
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The drive along US 1 takes you through some of the most
picturesque areas of the great state of Maine. The Region's major source of income is the Sea... some towns have had the same basic economic structure for 400 years! |
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Once at Pemaquid Point, you're reminded that there were
Native Americans here... this area was a summer fishing
community for several tribes in the area. Of course, the first thing I HAD to do, is find close approximations of the photos from the 1800's... |
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The lighthouse, and its keeper buildings, are now part of
a museum, funded with visitor's donations, and a grant
from the Blaisdell family.
The museum maintains the grounds, and preserves the memory of the earlier, rougher days of the region. Look at the size of these lobster shells! |
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These pictures, taken from pictures in the museum, show
the beauty that went into the construction of the tower. The 4th order frensel lens replaced a complex series of 12 lights in the late 1800's. The lighthouse bears the unfortunate distinction of being the first to be automated, which was done in 1934. |
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It is the ruggedness of the site, and the difficulty to
get out there (before the modern roads were installed)
that prompted the Lighthouse Service to automate the
light. It also makes for some fantastic scenery. |
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| The lighthouse is a beautiful example of a coastal light. |
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The land
was purchased for $90, and the tower was built in under a
year. The contractor building the tower,
however, used salt water to mix the mortar, and the tower
had to be rebuilt in 1835. It is this second tower
that still stands.