Maine's ten most beloved lighthouses

If you like lighthouses, Maine is the place to visit. There are more than 60 lighthouses that dot the coastal regions of Maine. The lighthouse has become a symbol for Maine and they have guided many mariners around rocky ledges and dense fog for more than 200 years. Michigan is the only state that can say it has more lighthouses than Maine.

Maine lighthouses were originally kept up by a lighthouse keeper and sometimes by his family as well. Most keepers were said to be very lonely, especially the offshore ones. There are many stories about the isolated lighthouse keeper who lived by his duty to man the lighthouse. Their lives were based on risk and responsibility.

Open Lighthouse Day
According to the Maine Department of Tourism, on September 18th, 2010 Maine will host its 2nd annual Open Lighthouse Day. Via partnerships between the State of Maine, the American Lighthouse Foundation and the US Coast Guard, all 25 participating Maine lighthouses will be open to the public on this one day. This first-of-a-kind event is the largest "open lighthouse" event in the United States.

For lighthouse memorabilia check out the Lighthouse Depot

Here's a guide to the most beloved of Maine's lighthouses:

TEN MUST-SEE MAINE LIGHTHOUSES
	PEMAQUID POINT LIGHTHOUSE Commissioned by John Quincy Adams in 1827, this Maine lighthouse not only features a Fisherman's Museum, it also offers weelky rentals on the second floor. The museum contains artifacts of local maritime history, as well as items from the lighthouse itself. The Pemaquid Point light is located at the entrace to Muscongus Bay and John Bay, near the town of Bristol.
	PORTLAND HEAD LIGHT STATION Located on Cape Elizabeth, at the southwest entrance to Portland Harbor, this lighthouse is Maine's oldest. Commissioned by George Washington in 1787, Portland Head lighthouse is one of Maine's most photographed, and features a beautiful keeper's house with Victorian architecture and a red roof.
	NUBBLE LIGHTHOUSE Perched at the tip of Cape Neddick in York, Maine, this favorite lighthouse was first put into use in 1879. Nubble lighthouse has one of only two Fresnel lenses still used in Maine today. Although not open to the public, Nubble is one of Maine's most photographed and can be viewed by telescopes mounted in Sohier Park.
	CAPE ELIZABETH LIGHT Also known as 'Two LIghts", the Cape Elizabeth lighthouses were originally built in 1828. Although the western tower is privately owned and no longer in service, the eastern tower continues to function today. Cape Elizabeth light has seen several shipwrecks, including the schooner Australia, and was painted several times by artist Edward Hopper. Cape Elizabeth is not open to the public and best viewed by boat.
	WEST QUODDY HEAD LIGHT Located in Lubec, Maine, the West Quoddy lighthouse was first built in 1858 and is most well known for it's vivid red and white stripes, topped by a black lantern and red dome. Located near the Canadian border, West Quoddy is the easternmost lighthouse in the United States, and participates each year in the annual Lights Across the Border Lighthouse Challenge.
	PORTLAND BREAKWATER LIGHTHOUSE Also known as the 'Bug Light', the Portland Breakwater Light was first built in 1855 in South Portland, Maine. Portland Breakwater's most distinguishing characteristic is its architecture. This lighthouse was fashioned after the Greek 'Choragic Monument' in Athens, and features six Corinthian columns. The Bug is currently an active lighthouse, but the public can view it's spectacular details up close from the nearby Bug Light Park.
	HENDRICK'S HEAD LIGHTHOUSE Perched on the edge of Sheepscot River in West Southport, Maine, Hendrick's Head light comes with some of the most interesting stories. Not only has Hendrick's been the site of several rescue missions, it is also said to be haunted by a ghost known as 'The Lady of the Dusk". Further myth surrounding Hendrick's lighthouse suggest that the notorious pirate Blackbeard hid treasure here. This light is not open to the public.
	SEGUIN ISLAND LIGHT STATION Located at the mouth of the Kennebec River, the Seguin Light has one of only two Fresnel lights still in use today. Perched 180 feet above the ocean, Seguin lighthouse is Maine's tallest and can be seen from Popham Beach State Park near Bath, Maine. The schooner 'Gondola' and the Boston-based "Jos. W. Bartlet were both shipwrecked at Seguin Island, and the lighthouse is said to be haunted by former light keepers.
	MONHEGAN ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Located ten miles offshore of the mainland community of Port Clyde, Monhegan Island lighthouse is constructed of granite and was first built in 1850 by noted architect, Alexander Parris. With alternating red and white flashes, Monhegan Island Light was Maine's first colored lighthouse. Both the grounds and the keeper's house museum are open to the public.
	ISLE AU HAUT LIGHT STATION Also known as Robinson Point Light, the Isle Au Haut lighthouse stands 40 feet tall and is perched slightly offshore. The lighthouse is connected to the keeper's house by a wooden catwalk and was added the the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Up until 2007, this lighthouse featured a Victorian bed & breakfast known as "The Keeper's House". Robinson Point Light is part of Acadia National Park, is open to the public, and can be reached by mailboat.