Seguin Light Explained

Location:Mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine
Coordinates:43.7075°N -69.758°W
Yearlit:1857 (current structure)
Automated:1985
Yeardeactivated:2019[1]
Shape:Cylindrical Tower
Marking:White
Characteristic:F W
Fogsignal:HORN: 2 every 20s
Module:
Embed:yes
Seguin Island Light Station
Built:1790
Added:March 08, 1977
Refnum:77000084

Seguin Light is a lighthouse on Seguin Island, in the Gulf of Maine south of the mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine.[2] [3] Established in 1795, it is the second-oldest of Maine's coastal lighthouses, and the only lighthouse in the state housing a first-order Fresnel lens. With its light at above mean sea-level, the present tower, built in 1857, is its highest of the state's lighthouses. Automated in 1985, the buildings of the light station are now operated as a museum property by a non-profit organization, and are seasonally open to the public via scheduled ferry from Popham Beach in Phippsburg. The light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Seguin Island Light Station in 1977.

Description and history

Seguin Island is a 64acres island located about two nautical miles south of Fort Popham in southernmost Phippsburg. The light station is located at the island's highest point, and includes the lighthouse itself, the keeper's house, fog signal building, a small oilhouse, and a tramway for bringing supplies from the shore to the site. The tower is built of cut granite blocks, and is 53feet tall and 16feet in diameter at the base. The keeper's house is built of brick, and is stories in height with a gabled roof; it now houses a museum and shop. The oilhouse and fog signal building are also brick. The tramway consists of wooden rails mounted on timber piles.[4]

The light station was established in 1795, in response to a petition by Massachusetts authorities (Maine then being part of Massachusetts). The first tower was a wood-frame structure completed in 1797. It was replaced in 1820 by a stone tower, which was replaced by the present tower in 1857. Most of the extant structures on the island also date from the 1857 construction period.[4]

It is the highest lighthouse on the Maine coast and has the only first order fresnel lens currently used in the state.[5]

Seguin Light was deactivated by the coast guard in April 2019 due to a power cable problem. The lighthouse is awaiting a generator, and eventually a more permanent fix in the form of solar panels.

In the meantime, the coast guard has set up a temporary solar beacon as a navigational aid.[6]

Keepers

The keepers of Seguin Light were:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New generator will put Seguin Island back in the tour business. Darcie Moore. www.pressherald.com. May 10, 2019. May 17, 2019.
  2. ,.
  3. 2009-10-09.
  4. Web site: [{{NRHP url|77000084}} NRHP nomination for Seguin Island Light Station]. National Park Service. 2016-06-12.
  5. Web site: Classical Lenses in Operation. 2009-08-06. US Coast Guard.
  6. Web site: Volunteers left scrambling to turn Seguin Island's power back on. Rob Nesbitt. www.newscentermaine.com. May 16, 2019. May 17, 2019.

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