Pemaquid Point Light

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Pemaquid Point Light is one of the oldest lighthouses in the state of Maine, located on the city of Bristol in Lincoln County. He is regarded as a symbol of the state and represents it on the State Quarter of 2003.

Location

The lighthouse is located at the southern tip of the Pemaquid Neck about 500 meters west of the entrance of the Muscongus Bay. In a prominent location at the head of the Cape erected on a granite cliff, he watches over one of the stormiest parts of the Atlantic coast. The sloping towards the sea rocks were planed off during the ice age in distinctive forms.

History

The Congress decided in 1826 to put $ 4,000 available for the construction of a lighthouse in the central coast of Maine. The farmer Samuel Martin sold the land necessary to do so for $ 90, the entrepreneur Jeremiah Berry of Thomaston was entrusted with the construction, but used for the mortar probably sea water, which meant that the building had to be demolished in 1835. Built in the summer of 1827, 29 feet ( 8.8 meters ) high first lighthouse sent initially with the help of a mirror and candles from his light about 2 miles.

The successor building, whose construction was supervised by committed since 1827 for an annual salary of $ 350 a lighthouse keeper Isaac Dunham, was followed by the building codes and was carried out by the contractor Joseph Berry from George Town.

At the direction of President James Buchanan, however, was in 1856 a fundamental reconstruction. Here, the replacement of the original lighting was done by a four-stage Fresnel lens, the lighthouse keeper's house, which had initially consisted of rubble, was new built in skeleton construction on wood base.

The year 1897 brought the construction of a steam-powered fog bell, but in 1899 the steam engine was replaced by a hand-reared clockwork mechanism that was originally built as an oil depot and engine house outbuildings now served to accommodate the counterweights.

As one of the first lighthouses in Maine the Pemaquid Point Light was automated in 1934. The city of Bristol acquired the site - with the exception of the lighthouse, which owned by the U.S. Coast Guard remained - in 1940 and built the house of the lighthouse keeper from 1972, the Fishermen's Museum and an apartment.

On April 16, 1985, the lighthouse on the National Register of Historic Places was recorded.

Two storms destroyed in 1991, the house of fog bell and the outbuildings, both have been faithfully rebuilt in the following year. In May 2000, the American Lighthouse Foundation was entrusted with the care of the lighthouse, in 2002 was a new coat of paint by volunteers from the New England Lighthouse Lovers, the American Lighthouse Foundation of the local section.

In 2007 the reconstruction of the building, a large part of this necessary sum of $ 134,000 was raised through donations.

Shipwrecks

Building

The conical, the last time in 2007, white painted tower is 38 feet ( 11.6 meters) tall and has a black lantern. The fourth-order Fresnel lens shines 79 feet (about 24 meters) above sea level on a 14 mile visible white flashing light.

Tourism

" Pemaquid Point Light [ ... ] is the delight of artists, photographers, and tourists. Pemaquid Point Itself entrances Bothland and water visitors by the fascinating northwest -southeast Varied veins of rock formation that look for all the world as if great giants had ' pulled taffy ' while the rocks were in a molten condition. "

" Pemaquid Point Light [ ... ] is the joy of artists, photographers and tourists. Pemaquid Point itself charmed tourists from land and sea from the fascinating, running in a northwest-southeast direction ribs of rock that look for all the world as if great giants, pulled toffee ' would, as the rock was melted. "

With more than 100,000 visitors annually Pemaquid Point Lighthouse one of the most visited lighthouses in the United States. Access is from U.S. Highway 1 from from Damariscotta via Route 130 The lighthouse and museum are open between Memorial Day and Columbus Day every day in good weather. In addition to the lighthouse and museum operated by the Pemaquid Group of Artists Gallery is an attraction.

Trivia

Susie Lawler (* 1868) - - During each year hosts several weddings on the premises, only one child was the daughter of the lighthouse keeper Joseph Lawler and his wife Sophronia born.