Whaleback Light facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Whaleback Light

Whaleback Lighthouse
Whaleback Light Location in Maine
Location	Piscataqua River entrance, Kittery, Maine
Coordinates	43°3′31.534″N 70°41′46.701″W / 43.05875944°N 70.69630583°W / 43.05875944; -70.69630583
Year first constructed	1830
Year first lit	1872 (current tower)
Automated	1963
Foundation	Stone / timber
Construction	Granite blocks
Tower shape	Conical
Markings / pattern	Natural
Focal height	59 feet (18 m)
Original lens	Fourth order Fresnel lens, 1855
Current lens	VLB-44
Range	14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi)
Characteristic	Grp Flash (2) White, 10s
Fog signal	HORN: 2 every 30s
Admiralty number	J0232
ARLHS number	USA-963
USCG number	1-0200

Whaleback Light is a historic lighthouse marking the mouth of the Piscataqua River in Kittery, Maine. It is located on a rocky outcrop offshore southwest of Fort Foster and south of Wood Island in Kittery. The present tower was built in 1872. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.

History

The station (known in early records as "Whales Back") was first established in 1830 for $20,000. The tower was upgraded in 1855 with a new lantern and a fourth order Fresnel lens. A fog bell and tower were installed in 1863. In 1869, storms had caused cracks in the tower and foundation causing the decision to build a new tower in 1872. The new tower, still standing today, was built with dovetailed granite blocks alongside the original tower, which was removed in 1880. The light is 59 feet (18 m) above mean sea level, and the tower, also housed the keeper's living quarters and a storage area.

At some point the fog bell was replaced with a horn and in 1991, the volume of the horn was reduced because it was damaging the integrity of the structure. The light was automated in 1963.

The current lighthouse exhibits two white flashes every 10 seconds and is created by a modern VLB-44 LED light, which was installed in October 2009.

In 2007, under the National Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, Whaleback lighthouse was made available to a suitable new steward. The American Lighthouse Foundation and its chapter Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses submitted an application and in November 2008, became the new owners.

Keepers

• Samuel E. Haskell (1831–1839)
• Joseph L. Locke (1839–1840)
• Zachariah Chickering (1840)
• John Kennard (1840)
• Joseph D. Currier (1841)
• Eliphalet Grover (1841–1843)
• J. Prentiss Locke (1843-unknown)
• Richard R. Lock (c. 1847)
• Jedediah Rand (1849–1853)
• Reuben T. Leavitt (1853–1859)
• Oliver P. Tucker (1859–1860)
• Gustavus A. Abbott (1860–1861)
• Joel P. Reynolds (1861–1864)
• Edward Parks (assistant, 1863–1864)
• Nathaniel P. Campbell (1864)
• Ambrose Card (assistant, then keeper 1864)
• Gilbert Amee (assistant 1864, then keeper 1864-1869)
• Mrs. M. M. Amee (assistant, 1864–1867)
• Isaac W. Chauncy (assistant, 1867–1868)
• James W. Verney (1869–1871)
• Ferdinand Barr (assistant 1868-1871, became keeper 3/22/1871)
• Emily F. Barr (assistant, 1871)
• William H. Caswell (1871–1872)
• Frank P. Caswell (assistant, 1871–1872)
• Chandler Martin (1872–1878)
• George R. Frost (assistant, 1872–1873)
• Frank L. Chauncey (assistant, 1873 and 1876–1880)
• John L. A. Martin (assistant 1874-1876)
• Leander White (1878–1887)
• John W. Lewis (assistant 1880-1882)
• Brackett Lewis (assistant 1883-1885)
• Ellison C. White (assistant 1885-1887, principal keeper 1887-1888)
• James M. Haley (1888–1893)
• Daniel Stevens (assistant 1887-1890)
• John W. Robinson (assistant 1890-1892)
• James Haley (Jr.?) (assistant 1892-1893)
• Walter S. Amee (1893–1921)
• Wallace S, Chase (assistant 1893-1894)
• Alvah J. Tobey (assistant 1894-1899)
• Joseph A. Pruett (assistant 1896-1897)
• John W. Wetzel (assistant 1897-1924)
• John P. Brooks (assistant, 1899–1915)
• Arnold B. White (1921–1941)
• W. A. Alley (c. 1935)
• Maynard F. Farnsworth (c. 1922-1940s)
• Charles U. Gardner (relief keeper, c, 1942–1943)
• Morgan W. Willis (1948-1950)
• Francis D. Hickey (Coast Guard, c. 1956-1957)
• Robert Brann (Coast Guard, c. 1957)
• Stephen H. Rogers (USCG, c. 1957-1958)
• James Pope (Coast Guard, c. early 1960s)

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