Perkins Island Light facts for kids
 |
|
| Perkins Island Light and keeper's house | |
 Perkins Island Light
Location in Maine
|
|
| Location | Kennebec River, Maine |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 43°47′12.359″N 69°47′6.889″W / 43.78676639°N 69.78524694°W |
| Year first constructed | 1898 |
| Year first lit | 1898 |
| Automated | 1959 |
| Foundation | Brick |
| Construction | Wood |
| Tower shape | Octagonal Wood Tower |
| Markings / pattern | White |
| Focal height | 41 feet (12 m) |
| Original lens | 5th order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 9.8 inches (250 mm) |
| Range | 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) & 5 nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl R 2.5s with 2 W sectors |
| Fog signal | none |
| USCG number | 1-6070 |
The Perkins Island Light is a cool lighthouse located on the Kennebec River in Maine. It first started shining its light in 1898. This lighthouse was built as part of a big project to make the river safer for boats. Other lighthouses like Doubling Point Light and Squirrel Point Light were also built around the same time. In 1988, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Perkins Island Light Station.
What is Perkins Island Light?
Perkins Island is a small, mostly wooded island. It's located in the southern part of the Kennebec River. The island is shaped like a teardrop, running from north to south. The lighthouse station is found on the westernmost side of the island.
Buildings at the Light Station
The Perkins Island Light station has several important buildings:
- A tall lighthouse tower
- A house for the lighthouse keeper
- A barn
- A bell house
- An oil house
The lighthouse tower is an eight-sided wooden structure. Its outside is covered with wooden shingles. The light at the top shines from about 17 feet (5.2 meters) above its base. It has an eight-sided lantern room with a walkway around it.
The keeper's house is a two-and-a-half-story building. It's shaped like an "L" and also has wooden shingles on the outside. A small wooden barn stands north of the house. It has a gabled roof, just like the house.
South of the tower, you'll find the oil house. This is a small brick building with a gabled roof. The bell tower is a pyramid-shaped building covered in shingles. It stands close to the shore, south of the main lighthouse tower.
History of the Lighthouse
The idea for the Perkins Island Light station came about in 1895. This was after experts suggested that the Kennebec River needed better ways to guide boats. These guiding tools are called "aids to navigation."
The lighthouse tower, barn, and keeper's house were all finished in 1898. That's the year the light first began to operate. Originally, there was also a boathouse, but it's not there anymore. The bell tower was added in 1902, and the oil house was built in 1906.
In 1959, the lighthouse became "automated." This means machines took over the job of keeping the light running, so a keeper no longer needed to live there. In the 1960s, most of the buildings were given to the state of Maine. The Perkins Island Light still helps guide boats safely today!
-
A close-up view of the Perkins Island Light.
-
The bell tower at Perkins Island Light.
-
From left to right: The Light, Bell Tower, Keepers' Quarters, and Oil House.
