West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, Lubec, Maine
Built in 1808.
WEST QUODDY HEAD LIGHT
Location: WEST QUODDY HEAD/BAY OF FUNDY
Station Established: 1808
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1858
Operational? YES
Automated? YES 1988
Deactivated: n/a
Foundation Materials: MASONRY
Construction Materials: BRICK
Tower Shape: CONICAL
Markings/Pattern: RED & WHITE BANDS W/BLACK LANTERN
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER, FRESNEL 1858
Focal Plane: 83 feet above sea level
Visibility: Approximately 18 miles; 35,000 candlepower
Foghorn: Automated
Historical Information:
- 1806: Lighthouse at West Passamaquoddy Head, Maine, first authorized by Congress.
- 1808: Light station established on 21 April 1808 at a cost of $5,000. The first keeper was Thomas Dexter.
- 1820: On May 15, Congress authorizes the first fog signal, a 500-pound bell, at the station for a cost of $1,000.
- 1939: Howard Grey was the last civilian keeper of the station prior to its transfer to the U.S. Coast Guard.
- 1962: As of 15 August 1962 BM1 Bruce Keene was OIC, or Officer-in-Charge (dates of the time he began and ended his tour are not presently known--he served at least through September 1964.) According to documents in the West Quoddy file, his father, LT Thomas Keene, had previously served as the head keeper of the light station.
- 1963: As of 27 October Keene was still OIC and (Engineman?) Richard Copeland was his assistant.
- 1978: Through 31 May the OIC was BM1 Cliffton Scholfield. He had a crew of two assistants: MT2 Carl Hatch and MT# Davis Blanding.
- 1978: On 1 June, BM2 George Eaton took over as the OIC of the station. He had two assistants.
- 1979: MK3 Carl Hatch was a member of the crew.
- 1981: As of 14 September, the OIC was BM1 John Richardson.
- 1988: The light was automated in July 1988. The last OIC (keeper) was Malcolm Rouse, USCG.