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Location: South of the Kennebec River Mouth
Nearest Town: Popham Beach, Maine
Latitude: 43.7083 Longitude: -69.7583
Body of Water: Atlantic Ocean
Open to Public: Yes
Station Established: 1795
Present Tower Activated: 1857
Status of Light: Operational
Tower Height: 53 ft.
Optic: First Order Fresnel, 1857
National Register Reference #: 77000084
Listing Name: Seguin Island Light Station
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While the Seguin Island lighthouse is only 53 feet tall, its position atop the island's high bluffs places the lantern higher than any other in Maine at 186 feet. So steep is the path to the station that the federal government approved the construction of Maine's only tramway from the boat house to the keeper's house. The first tower on this island was was lit in 1795, just four years after the lighthouse at Portland Head. It was constructed of wood and only managed to last until 1819 when it was literally blown over by a fierce gale after standing for less than 25 years. Its replacement, a stone tower, was completed in 1820 but only managed to survive until the mid-1850s.
The existing 53 foot, cylindrical, white granite block and brick tower with black lantern was first lit in 1857. The Lighthouse Board ordered the installation of a powerful first-order Fresnel lens, the first of its kind in Maine. A 1.5 story, red brick keeper's residence, connected to the tower via a short, enclosed passageway, was also added to the station in 1857. The site also sports a brick sound signal building (1889), a brick oil house (1892), a wharf, and a cistern.
The brutal conditions at this site 2.5 miles southeast of Popham Beach are the primary reason the station has had over 40 keepers and the average tour of duty was only four years. These statistics include the fact that one keeper stayed 14 years and another for 19. "Seguin" derives from the Indian word "sutquin" which translates as "the place where the sea vomits". Seguin Island is located where the Kennebec River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Under the correct conditions, the Kennebec's flow into the ocean is directly countered by oceanic currents flowing the opposite direction. This is also one of the foggiest spots on Maine's coast with over 2,700 hours, or 30 percent of the year, of fog signal operation recorded in one instance.
The first keeper of the Seguin Island lighthouse, Count John Polersky, was a major in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and was given the post as reward for serving his duty. The harsh conditions, however, made living on the island a harrowing and expensive venture. The frequency of storms and exposure to the elements made it very difficult to farm the fertile soil. The ferocity of the gales smashed Polersky's boats to pieces, severely limiting his ability to fish. After five years of fighting to eke out an existence, Seguin Island's first light keeper died, many say because of his daily tribulations on the island.
The Seguin Island lighthouse was automated in 1985. In 1989, the Coast Guard granted a ten year lease of the site to a private, non-profit group called the Friends of Seguin Island. At the conclusion of the lease, ownership was transferred to the group under the Maine Lights Program. The Coast Guard announced a plan in 1999 to stop using the light in favor of a skeletal, solar-powered tower. The plans were scrapped the next year after a local outpouring of support led to pressure from Congress to leave the light as is. The tower's original first order Fresnel lens remains and is the only one left in Maine. On clear nights, it can be seen for 40 miles.
The island also serves as a bird sanctuary and can only be reached by boat. The site is open to the public but the tower is closed. The Seguin Island lighthouse can be seen from the shore in Popham Beach. Otherwise, several local boat tours also pass the station and offer viewing and photo opportunities.
Lighthouse Accessibility
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This site is open to the public but is accessible only by boat. |
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The lighthouse can be viewed from several local boat tours and can be seen from the shore in Popham Beach.
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