Hendricks Head Light facts for kids
 |
|
| Undated US Coast Guard photo | |
 Hendricks Head Light
Location in Maine
|
|
| Location | Sheepscot River, Maine |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°49′21.282″N 69°41′23.011″W / 43.82257833°N 69.68972528°W |
| Year first constructed | 1829 |
| Year first lit | 1875 (current structure) |
| Automated | 1975 |
| Deactivated | 1933-1951 |
| Tower shape | Square Brick Tower |
| Markings / pattern | White |
| Focal height | 43 feet (13 m) |
| Original lens | 4th order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 9.8 inches (250 mm) |
| Range | 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) & 7 nautical miles (13 km; 8.1 mi) |
| Characteristic | F W with R sector |
| Fog signal | Bell originally now none |
| Admiralty number | J0144 |
| ARLHS number | USA-597 |
| USCG number | 1-5665 |
Hendricks Head Light is a cool lighthouse located in Southport, Maine. It helps guide ships safely into the Sheepscot River. This important light station first started working in 1829. The buildings you see there today were built in 1875. The light was turned off for a while, from 1933 to 1951, but then it was lit up again! The old house where the lighthouse keeper lived is now a private home. The light shines all the time, showing white light to the west and red light to the east. This historic place was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Contents
What is Hendricks Head Light?
The town of Southport is on an island in Maine's Mid Coast area. This island separates the Sheepscot River from Boothbay Harbor. Hendricks Head is a piece of land that sticks out from the island. The lighthouse stands right at the very tip of this land.
Buildings at the Light Station
The lighthouse area has several important buildings. These include the main light tower, the keeper's house, a fog bell tower, a shed, and an oil house. The light tower is shaped like a square and gets narrower as it goes up. It is made of wood shingles. At the very top is an eight-sided room called the lantern house, where the light shines from.
The keeper's house is a two-and-a-half-story wooden building. It used to be connected to the tower by a covered walkway. The fog bell tower is shaped like a pyramid. It has a special enclosed part in the middle where the loud fog bell was kept.
History of the Lighthouse
The Hendricks Head Light station was first built in 1829. Its main job was to mark the entrance to the Sheepscot River. This river was very important back then. It led to Wiscasset, a busy town known for shipbuilding and its port.
Original and Current Structures
The very first light station had a keeper's house with the lantern on top. This house was built on a stone foundation. The tower and keeper's house you see today were built later, in 1875. The new keeper's house was built right on top of the old building's foundation.
Images for kids
-
The light in 2020
.jpg)
