The State of Maine’s sixth annual Open Lighthouse Day will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13 with lighthouses open throughout the state, and free entry available to visitors on this one day.
The event, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, the Maine Office of Tourism and the American Lighthouse Foundation, draws between 15,000 to 18,000 visitors annually with the unique opportunity to climb and learn about Maine’s historic lights.
The largest effort of its kind organized within the U.S., Open Lighthouse Day is a family activity intended to help increase awareness of Maine’s maritime heritage, and teach visitors about the rich history of its lighthouses and lighthouse keepers.
All lighthouses will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Special packages, promotions and celebratory activities are also available in partnership with hotels and other attractions. For Lighthouse Day, all lighthouses and lighthouse tours are free. Some parking and transportation costs to lighthouses are additional.
With more coastal lighthouses than anywhere else in the nation, Maine is often referred to as “The Lighthouse State.” Beginning in 1791, lighthouses were built to help navigate mariners through dangerous waters and Maine’s many small islands, ledges and shoals. By the turn of the 20th century, at least 70 lighthouses guarded Maine’s seacoast, deepest rivers and even one lake. Today, 65 of these lighthouses still stand.
Over the decades, Maine’s iconic lighthouses have become more than navigational aids. They also beckon the general public to come near and enjoy the alluring beauty, romance and history that embodies these timeless sentinels of the sea. Many of Maine’s lighthouses can be seen by boat, some only with ground visitation and some are celebrated by museums or as displays within buildings.
For comprehensive information about the 2014 participating sites and attractions and to view a map pinpointing specific locations, visit www.lighthousefoundation.org/news/events/maine-open-lighthouse-day-2014.
Participating lighthouses in the area include:
”¢ Wood Island Lighthouse (offshore at Biddeford Pool). Reach by boat aboard “Light Runner” with advance reservations.
”¢ Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (land-based in South Portland) ”“ tower referred to as “Bug Light.”
”¢ Portland Head Lighthouse (land-based in Cape Elizabeth) ”“ tower reached by climbing 85-plus steps.
”¢ Spring Point Lighthouse (land-based in South Portland) ”“ reached via a breakwater.
Ӣ Goat Island Lighthouse (offshore with access from the Cape Porpoise Pier in Kennebunkport).
”¢ The state’s southernmost lighthouse will offer four one-hour cruises from Kittery Point aboard the “Sir William Pepperrell” with Capt. Neil Odams. Each will sail close to Portsmouth Harbor Light and Whaleback Light. Historian Jeremy D’Entremont from the American Lighthouse Foundation will be aboard to talk about the locations.
To learn more, visit www.lighthousefoundation.org.
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