West Quoddy Head Light facts for kids
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| West Quoddy Head Light, with Grand Manan in the background | |
| Location | West Quoddy head/Bay of Fundy |
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| Coordinates | 44°48′54.4″N 66°57′1.7″W / 44.815111°N 66.950472°W |
| Year first constructed | 1808 |
| Year first lit | 1858 (Current tower) |
| Automated | 1988 |
| Foundation | Masonry |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | Conical |
| Markings / pattern | Red and white bands with black lantern |
| Height | 49 ft (15 m) |
| Focal height | 83 ft (25 m) |
| Original lens | Third order Fresnel lens |
| Intensity | 35,000 candela |
| Range | 18 nmi (33 km; 21 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing(2) White 15s |
| Fog signal | HORN: 2 every 30s |
West Quoddy Head is a special place in Lubec, Maine. It is the easternmost point of the main part of the United States. Imagine being the first person in the country to see the sunrise each day!
A lighthouse was built here in 1808. Its job was to help ships find their way through the tricky waters of the Quoddy Narrows. The lighthouse you see today, with its famous red-and-white stripes, was built in 1858. It still works as an important guide for ships.
Inside the lighthouse is a special Fresnel lens. This type of lens helps make the light very bright and focused. The one at West Quoddy Head is one of only a few still used along the coast of Maine. Because of its history and importance, the West Quoddy Head Light Station was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
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What is West Quoddy Head?
West Quoddy Head is a piece of land that sticks out into the ocean. It is located in southeastern Lubec, Maine. This area looks out over the Quoddy Narrows. The Narrows are a narrow water passage between Lubec and Campobello Island in Canada. This passage is important because it leads to Passamaquoddy Bay and other rivers.
Most of this land is part of Quoddy Head State Park. The lighthouse stands proudly near the eastern edge of this park.
The Easternmost Point
A stone sign at West Quoddy Head tells everyone it's the "easternmost point in the U.S.A." The lighthouse building itself is the easternmost building. There's even a sign for the "easternmost gift shop in the U.S." But the actual easternmost point is a group of rocks that stretch out from the shore into the water.
The Lighthouse Tower
The lighthouse station includes several buildings. There's the tall tower, the old keeper's house, a service building, and an oil house. The tower is round and stands about 49 feet (15 meters) tall. Its light shines from about 83 feet (25 meters) above the sea.
The light is made very bright by a special third-order Fresnel lens. This powerful light can be seen from about 18 miles (29 kilometers) away. The tower is made of brick and is painted with bold red and white stripes that go all the way around. A small brick entrance sticks out from the tower. The keeper's house, where the lighthouse keeper used to live, is a wooden building with one and a half stories.
A Look Back in Time
The idea for a lighthouse at West Quoddy Head was approved by the U.S. Congress in 1806. The first lighthouse was finished on April 21, 1808. It cost about $5,000 to build.
In 1820, Congress also approved the first fog signal for the station. This was a 500-pound (227 kg) bell, which cost $1,000. The lighthouse tower we see today was built in 1858. The old keeper's house is now a museum and a place for visitors to learn more. In 1990, the U.S. Postal Service even put the West Quoddy Head Light on a 25-cent stamp!
Lighthouse Keepers
Lighthouse keepers were people who lived at the lighthouse and made sure the light stayed lit. They also operated the fog signal. Here are some of the people who worked at West Quoddy Head:
- The very first keeper was Thomas Dexter.
- In 1939, Howard Grey was the last civilian keeper. After him, the U.S. Coast Guard took over.
- In 1962, Bruce Keene was in charge of the station. His father, Thomas Keene, had also been a head keeper there.
- In 1988, Malcolm Rouse was the last person in charge of the lighthouse before it became automated. This means machines took over the work, and a keeper was no longer needed on site.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Washington County, Maine
- Head Harbour Lighthouse - This is also known as East Quoddy Head Light. It's a lighthouse on the Canadian side, across from West Quoddy Head.
