Baker Island (Maine)
Template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / image missing template: Infobox Island / Maintenance / height missing
Baker Iceland is an island off the coast of the U.S. state of Maine.
Location
The 135 acres ( about 55 ha) island is the outermost of the Cranberry Islands, which lie to the southeast of Mount Desert Iceland in the entrance to Frenchman Bay. In its vicinity are several cliffs and a sandy bank, so that the navigation in the area of western access to Frenchman Bay by navaid must be facilitated. On the island is a lighthouse since 1828, he has the coordinates 44 ° 14'28 "N and 68 ° 11'56 " W.
History
The island was located since the early 19th century in the possession of the Gilley family. Due to a 1827 statement issued by the President John Quincy Adams began in 1827 near the highest point of the island, the construction of a 26 feet ( about 8 meters ) high lighthouse including a residential building with four rooms and a separate kitchen of rubble. The tower was topped by an octagonal iron lantern, in the 10 operated with whale oil lamps and 15 -inch ( 38 cm ) reflectors radiated a continuous white light. The owner of the island was hired for an annual salary of U.S. $ 350 as a lighthouse keeper, disputes led to legal disputes over the rights to use, in which the Federal Government was awarded ultimately the ownership of more than 19 acres ( 7.7 hectares ), including the rights of way later.
As with many of the buildings built before 1850 Lighthouses of Maine came in the construction of inappropriate mortar used, which eventually led to leakage and after only 25 years to complete reconstruction. It hit the house of the lighthouse keeper's much harder, this was replaced in 1837 and again in 1855. As part of the latest reconstruction a considerably enlarged wooden building was erected, which exists to this day.
The lighthouse still in operation was built of brick and reaches a height of 43 feet ( about 13.1 meters). The white light emitted by a fourth-order Fresnel lens flashing light is visible over a distance of at least 10 nautical miles. The cladding of the tower was built in 1903 supplemented by a further layer of brick.
In 1966, the conversion to automated operation, the administration of the island was transferred to the National Park Service, the lighthouse itself was, however, still operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The suspension of operations was tested in 1991, complaints led to the provisional continuity of operations, but in 1997 was followed by another test method. Ultimately, the company was set by the U.S. Coast Guard and replaced by a buoy off the coast in 2002.
Tourism
The island is now part of Acadia National Park, a visit is out in the framework of implemented boating in the summer usually not possible. Good observation points are scarce due to the location of the lighthouse, by the end of the Wonderland Trail near the lighthouse at Bass Harbor Head, it is possible to look at the about 5.5 miles ( 9 km ) east of nearby building, Great and Little Cranberry Iceland allow as well as the summer boat trips a look at a closer distance.
Lighthouse keeper
1828-1848 William Gilley
1849-1853 John Rich
1853-1860 Joseph Bunker
1860-1861 John Bunker
1861-1867 Freeman G. Young
1867-1883 Alden H. Jordan
1883-1888 Roscoe G. Lopaus
1888-1902 Howard P. Robbins
1902-1912 George Connors
1912 -? Vurney L. King
? -1936 Joseph Muise
1936-1944 F. Faulkingham
1944-1945 Wayne Edson Holcomb (U.S. Coast Guard )
1945-195? Ernest Mathie
195? -195? (Eugene? ) Coleman
195? -195? ? Clements