History of Blue Hill Bay Lighthouse
Overview
Blue Hill Bay Lighthouse, also known as Eggemoggin Light or Sand Island Light, is located on Green Island in Blue Hill Bay, Maine. Established in 1857, it was built to guide mariners into the southern entrance of Blue Hill Bay and the eastern end of Eggemoggin Reach, a vital passage connecting Penobscot Bay with Blue Hill Bay. The lighthouse served the bustling lumber port of Ellsworth during the mid-19th century, which was reportedly the second busiest lumber port in the world at the time. The federal government purchased Green Island from Abraham Flye in 1855 for $150 to construct the lighthouse. The original structure, a white cylindrical brick tower with an attached keeper’s residence, still stands today near the modern automated light.
The lighthouse was equipped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens displaying a fixed white light, visible for nine miles in clear weather. A fog bell with automatic striking machinery was added in 1900 to aid navigation during poor visibility. The station was deactivated in 1933 and replaced in 1935 with an automated steel skeleton tower, which is now solar-powered and remains operational. The original lighthouse and its associated buildings, including a keeper’s house, barn, boathouse, and oil house, are privately owned and not open to the public, but the site can be viewed from the water or air.
Historical Developments
The lighthouse was constructed in 1856 and first lit in 1857. Over the years, several improvements were made to the station:
- 1890: A two-room addition was built to the keeper’s house.
- 1900: A 1,000-pound fog bell was installed to assist mariners during foggy conditions.
- 1905: A brick oil house was added to store kerosene for the lighthouse and keeper’s house.
The keepers and their families led a self-sufficient lifestyle, collecting rainwater in a 1,050-gallon cistern for fresh water and supplementing food supplies with fishing, keeping chickens for eggs, and maintaining cows on nearby Flye Island for milk. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 1933 and replaced by an automated light in 1935. In 1976, the property was purchased by Wilbur and Edith Trapp, who restored the buildings. It was sold again in 2017 for $460,000 and in 2018 to Green Island Lighthouse, LLC.
Lighthouse Keepers
The following individuals served as keepers of Blue Hill Bay Lighthouse, based on available historical records:
- Moses T. Graves (1856 – 1861)
- Adelbert G. Webster (1877 – 1882)
- Howard P. Robbins (1882 – 1888)
- Roscoe G. Lopaus (1888 – 1895)
- Levi L. Farnham (1895 – 1900)
- Edward K. Tapley (1900 – 1915)
- William H.C. Dodge (1916 – 1920)
- Roscoe M. Chandler (1924 – 1932)
- Justin A. Foss (1932 – 1934)
Note: This list may be incomplete, as historical records are subject to updates and corrections. Wikipedia: Blue Hill Bay Light
Life at the Lighthouse
Lighthouse keepers and their families lived a rugged, self-sufficient life on Green Island. With no telephone, communication with the mainland was creative; in the 1920s, a woman on the mainland would hang a black suit outside her house to signal the keeper was needed. Keepers like Roscoe Chandler (1924–1932) kept cows on Flye Island, with children rowing or walking across at low tide for milking. During thunderstorms, cows sometimes swam toward the lighthouse, requiring the family to herd them back by boat. The sidewheeler J.T. Morse was a familiar sight, delivering supplies and mail to the isolated station.
Visiting the Lighthouse
The Blue Hill Bay Lighthouse is best viewed from the water, as it cannot be seen from the mainland. Cruises offered by the Maine Environmental Research Institute from Naskeag Point in Brooklin or Isle au Haut Boat Services occasionally pass the lighthouse. Scenic flights with providers like Scenic Flights of Acadia also offer aerial views. Visitors are advised not to attempt walking to Green Island at low tide due to the risky 45-minute trek.