Burnt Island Light facts for kids
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| Location | Burnt Island SSW of Boothbay Harbor, Maine |
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| Coordinates | 43°49′30.7″N 69°38′24.8″W / 43.825194°N 69.640222°W |
| Year first constructed | 1821 |
| Year first lit | 1821 |
| Automated | 1989 |
| Foundation | Surface rock |
| Construction | Granite w/brick lining |
| Tower shape | Conical |
| Markings / pattern | White w/black lantern |
| Height | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Focal height | 61 feet (19 m) |
| Range | R 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi), W 15 nautical miles (28 km; 17 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing red 6 sec w/ two white sectors |
| Fog signal | HORN: 1 every 10s |
The Burnt Island Light, built in 1821, is a very old and important lighthouse in Maine. It is actually the second oldest lighthouse still standing in the state! Today, it's more than just a light. It also hosts a cool living history museum. This museum is run by the state's Department of Marine Resources. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
Contents
History of the Light
Burnt Island is located at the western entrance to Boothbay Harbor. This is a large natural harbor with the town of the same name nearby. The island got its name because people used to burn its plants. This helped keep the land clear for sheep to graze.
Building the Lighthouse
Money to build a light for Boothbay Harbor was approved in March 1821. Town officials and pilots asked for a lighthouse on the island. The island was bought just a few days later. Workers built a tower from granite rocks and lined it with brick. They also built a stone house for the lighthouse keeper.
Later that summer, the light was turned on for the first time. It used a system of whale oil lamps and special reflectors. This was a common way to light lighthouses back then.
Changes Over Time
The first keeper's house was replaced in 1857. The new house, made of wood, is still there today. A covered walkway connected the house to the tower. At the same time, a new type of lens was put in. It was called a Fresnel lens. This was the first of many changes to the light's signal.
The lighthouse first showed a steady white light. Its main goal was to help ships find the harbor. It was not meant to warn them of danger. In 1888, part of the light was blocked. This stopped it from being seen by ships coming from the south. It made sure they had passed some rocky islands first.
A year later, the light changed again. It became a steady red light with two white sections. These white sections showed safe paths around Squirrel Island. This caused confusion with another lighthouse, the Ram Island Light. So, in 1901, the steady light was removed. A rotating light with lenses on each side took its place. This rotating light was used until 1962. Then, it was moved to a museum. An electric light replaced it. Burnt Island Light was the last lighthouse in Maine to switch from kerosene.
Fog Bell and Automation
In 1895, a tall wooden tower was built for a fog bell. This tower was taken down in 1962. The bell was then moved to a metal frame. An electric striker rang the bell instead of old clockwork. The lighthouse became automated in 1988. This means machines ran it, and a keeper was no longer needed. It was one of the last lighthouses in Maine to become automated.
The Museum Today
In 1998, the island and its lighthouse were given to the State of Maine. This was part of the Maine Lighthouse Program. The buildings have been fixed up to look like they did in the 1950s. In 2003, a special "living history" program started. This program lets visitors experience what life was like for a lighthouse keeper long ago.
See also
