Bass Harbor Head Light

Year Built

1858

Cost

$5,000

Type

Cylindrical tower

Height

32 feet

Location

Tremont

Automated Year

1974

First Lit

1858

Lens Type

Fourth Order Fresnel lens

Fog Signal

None

Year Deactivated

Active

Color

White with black marking

Last Keeper - Date

Cecil A. Mareno (1969 – 1972)

Description

Foundation - Stone and brick

Brief History

•  Congress allocated $5,000 on August 18, 1856 for purchasing the necessary land and constructing Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.
•  Construction of the lighthouse was carried out in 1858, and afterward the remaining amount of $16.65 was returned to the surplus fund.
•   September 1, 1858, John Thurston climbed the stairs in the tower, lighted the lamp in Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse for the first time, and the beacon began guiding mariners into Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay.
•  A tall, pyramidal bell tower was added to the station in 1876, and then in 1897 a brick fog signal building was erected a few yards closer to the rocky cliff.
•  Modifications were made to the keeper’s house over the years. In 1900, it was enlarged to add an office and to make the kitchen larger. Upstairs, a third bedroom and a bathroom were added.
•  The Park Service assumed ownership of the lighthouse, as they announced in November 2017 that they would take possesion of the property.