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Curtis Island Lighthouse Fun Facts
Location: Camden Harbor Entrance
Closest City: Camden, Maine
Latitude: 44.201417 Longitude: -69.049167
Body of Water: Penobscot Bay
Open to Public: Yes
Station Established: 1835
Present Tower Activated: 1896
Status of Light: Operational
Tower Height: 25 ft.
Optic: 300mm, Solar-Powered, 1994
Fourth Order Fresnel
National Register Reference #: 73000263
Listing Name: Curtis Island Light
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Curtis Island was previously known as Negro Island. As the story goes, an early settler to the area had an African-American deckhand on board who, upon reaching Camden Harbor, proclaimed that the white men could have the mainland and that he would be content to have the island. Cyrus Curtis, well known publisher of the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines, later built a summer home on the island. The island's name was changed to honor the Maine native.
The first Curtis Island lighthouse was built in 1835 (see below) and replaced in 1896 (see above) with a 25 foot cylindrical brick white tower (52 foot height of focal plane) with black lantern attached to a 1.5 story frame keeper's residence. The farmhouse-style residence was actually  constructed in 1889 along with a barn and boathouse. An oil house was added in 1895. All of these structures are still on-site. The Fresnel lens, now on display at the Camden Public Library, was replaced by a fixed-green, occulted, solar-powered, 300mm optic in 1994.
The Coast Guard automated the light in 1972, at which time ownership was transferred to the Town of Camden. The site has since been transformed into a public park. The site is located at the southern end of the entrance to Camden Harbor from Penobscot Bay and is not easily seen from shore. It is a popular lighthouse primarily because Camden is a very busy summer tourism spot and the light guides passenger and pleasure vessels on a daily basis during the warm weather. The keeper's quarters, denoted by a noticeably red roof, are currently occupied by caretakers. The site is only accessible by boat but is open to the public (tower closed).
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Lighthouse Accessibility
- This site is open to the public but accessible only by boat.
- The lighthouse is difficult to see from the mainland but can
be viewed from Dillingham Point in Camden.
- The lighthouse may be visible via Boat tour.
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View the Interactive Map
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