Whitehead Light

Oct. 22, 2019
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Whitehead Light, Whitehead Island, Penobscot Bay, Knox County, Maine

Built in 1804.

WHITEHEAD ISLAND LIGHT

Location: WHITEHEAD ISLAND/PENOBSCOT BAY SOUTHERN ENTRANCE 
Station Established: 1807 
Year Current Tower(s) First Lit: 1852 
Operational? YES 
Automated? YES 1982 
Deactivated: n/a 
Foundation Materials: NATURAL/EMPLACED 
Construction Materials: GRANITE/ASPHALT 
Tower Shape: CONICAL ATTACHED TO SERVICE ROOM 
Markings/Pattern: NATURAL 
Relationship to Other Structure: SEPARATE 
Original Lens: THIRD ORDER FIXED, FRESNEL 1855 

Historical Information:

  • 1807 – 1st lighthouse built.
  • 1839 – Fog signal installed.
  • 1857 – Current structure built.
  • 1869 – Fog bell replaced by steam whistle.
  • 1933 – Electricity added to the station.
  • 1982 – Lighthouse automated.
  • 2001 – Lighthouse converted to solar power.

Keepers: 

  • Ellis Dolph (1804-1807)
  • Ebenezer Otis (1813-1816)
  • Charles Haskell (1816-1821)
  • Samuel Davis (1821-1840)
  • William Perry, Jr. (1840-1841 and 1845-1849)
  • Joshua Bartlett (1849)
  • Dennis Pillsbury (1853)
  • Samuel B. Stackpole (1853-1858)
  • Albert Thomas, assistant (1854)
  • Edwin R. Stackpole (1853-1858)
  • Eugene Stackpole, assistant (1857)
  • Elisha Snow. Assistant (1857-1859)
  • Isaac Sterns (1858-1860)
  • Thomas Shoutts, assistant (1859-1860)
  • Samuel Ludwig, assistant (1860)
  • William Spear (1860-1861)
  • William Spear, Jr., assistant (1860-1861)
  • Ephraim Quinn (1861-1862)
  • William Perry, assistant (1861-1862)
  • Archibald McKellar (1862)
  • James McKellar, assistant (1862)
  • Edward Spaulding (1862-1865)
  • E. Cooper Spaulding, assistant (1862-1866)
  • Hezekiah Long (1865-1875)
  • Horace Norton, assistant (1866-1874)
  • Abbie B. Long, assistant (1867-1875)
  • Isaac N. Grant (1875-1890)
  • Abby B. Grant, assistant (1875-1890)
  • Knot Perry, assistant (1876)
  • George L. Upton (1890-1892)
  • Frank N. Jellison (assistant 1890-1892, keeper 1892-1905)
  • Daniel Stevens (1892)
  • George Matthews, assistant (1892-1898)
  • Joseph W. Jellison, second assistant (1895-1898)
  • Walden B. Hodgkins, second assistant (1899-1902)
  • Otto A. Wilson, second assistant (1899)
  • George S. Connors, second assistant (1899-1902)
  • Edward T. Merritt, second assistant (1902-1903)
  • Elmer Reed, assistant, then keeper (1902-1912)
  • George M. Joyce, second assistant (1903-1905)
  • A. Faulkingham, second assistant, then first assistant (1905-1909)
  • Stephen F. Flood, first assistant (1905-1907)
  • Frank B. Ingalls, second assistant (1907-1909)
  • Fairfield H, Moore, first assistant (1909-1911)
  • John E. Purrington, second assistant (1909-1911)
  • Lester Leighton, second assistant (1911-1913)
  • Charles Robinson, assistant (1913-unknown)
  • Hervey H, Wass, first assistant (1913-1919)
  • Arthur B. Mitchell (1919-1929)
  • Arthur Marston (1923-1928)
  • Arthur J. Beal (1929-1950)
  • Frank Alley, second assistant (1928-194?)
  • George Lester Alley, first assistant (1926-194?)
  • Clyde Grant (Coast Guard, c. 1950)
  • Gordon P. Eaton (Coast Guard, c. 1950-1952)
  • Richard (Rick) Ames (Coast Guard, c. 1950)
  • Ronald Upton (Coast Guard keeper, 9/1973-5/1974) 

Researched and written by Marie Vincent, a volunteer through the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society.