Land at the East end of Wood Island in Saco Bay was purchsed by the Federal Government in 1806. The original lighthouse was built in 1808 after being commissioned by Thomas Jefferson. This photo of Wood Island Lighthouse was taken, ca. 1859, as part of the first photographic survey of lighthouses during the early days when they were administered by the Lighthouse Board under the US Lighthouse Service.

The house on the left is the keeper's dwelling house and it is the third one built since the establishment of Wood Island Light Station. The first was constructed of wood in 1808. It rotted out by the 1830s. A rubble stone house was then built and finished ca. 1839. In 1857 this wood dwelling house was built to replace the stone house.

The barn had been built at an earlier time, it is believed in the 1840s by Keeper Abraham Norwood. Wood Island Light Station has historically been a lighthouse operated by a keeper and his family. In the early days they were farmers who raised animals and hay to feed them.

The granite tower that is seen in this photo is the one that you see today (2005). The original tower was built of wood, rebuilt in 1838 and some reconstruction took place in 1858 in order to house the new fourth order Fresnel lens. The photo resides in the Coast Guard Historian's Office in Washington D.C.