Maine - Eagle Island Lighthouse

The Eagle Island Lighthouse is located near Deer Isle, ME. It was commissioned by President Van Buren in 1839 and established on the east end of the two-hundred-sixty acre island. A wood frame, two story keeper's house and fog bell tower were built at the same time as the rubble masonry lighthouse. In 1858 a fourth order Fresnel lens was installed to replace ten lamps providing the light.  An oil house was added in 1895. A bronze bell weighing 4,200 pounds was installed in the bell tower in 1932.

Over the years, improvements followed, although some were long overdue by the time they were accomplished. Light keeper's had no well for drinking water until 1947, nor indoor plumbing until 1949.

In 1959, the twenty-eight foot Eagle Island Lighthouse was automated. The Fresnel lens was removed and replaced by battery powered electric lamp. The station was then closed. All the buildings except the tower itself were put up for bid with the condition the buyer remove structures from the light station property. When no one came forward, the Coast Guard in 1963 decided to raze the buildings. Members of the Quinn family, long-time residents of the island with ties to previous keepers of the Eagle Island Light, appealed the decision but were unsuccessful in preventing the demolition.

In 1964 all buildings were razed, leaving the tower scarred and only traces of the old foundations remaining. While trying to remove the giant fog bell, the demolition crew lost control of it and the bell careened down the cliff into the ocean. Years later an unexpecting lobster man found the bell and towed it to Great Spruce Head Island. Subsequently, photographer Eliot Porter purchased the bell.

At the time of my visit in 2001, the lighthouse stood on private property and access to the island was carefully controlled. Only the stone lighthouse and pyramidal bell tower were left, and the automated white light of Eagle Island Lighthouse still beamed one-hundred-six feet above the bay water.