National Register of Historic Places

Baker Island Light Station

Islesford, Hancock County, Maine
Listed
March 14, 1988
Type
District
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
88000046

About this property

Baker Island Light is a lighthouse on Baker Island, Maine, which is part of Acadia National Park. The light station was established in 1828 as a guide to the southern entrance to Frenchman Bay. The present tower was built in 1855; the well-preserved tower, keeper's house, and associated outbuildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. The present light station includes four buildings: the tower, keeper's house, oil house, and fuel house. The tower and keeper's house were both built in 1855, the oil house is a small brick structure built in 1895, and the fuel house is a small wood-frame structure built in 1905. The keeper's house and tower were originally connected by a covered way. The tower stands at the high point of Baker Island, about 70 feet (21 m) above sea level. The focal plane of its lens is 37 feet (11 m) above its base. The brick tower had two windows in the stairwell, but these have been bricked over. The brick tower has an octagonal iron lantern house with a surrounding railing and walkway mounted on it, which is topped by a polygonal dome. When built, the station was given a fourth-order Fresnel lens. The keeper's house is a small L-shaped wood-frame building, with a gable roof and a brick foundation. Now finished in clapboards, it was originally clad in board-and-batten siding. There was originally a covered passage from the house's east end covering the short distance to the tower, but this has been removed. The Baker Island station was established in 1828, and was the first along Maine's coast located in the general vicinity of Mount Desert Island. The light is an aid to navigation for reaching that island's major ports, including Bar Harbor and Northeast Harbor. The buildings of the station are now owned and administered by Acadia National Park; the light itself is maintained by the United States Coast Guard. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hancock County, Maine National Register of Historic Places listings in Acadia National Park

Location

Islesford, Hancock County, Maine
44.24121, -68.19882

Categories

ENGINEERINGTRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Islesford Historical Museum and Blue Ducks Ships Store
Industrial
2.5 mi
Saint Jude's Episcopal Church
Industrial
4.3 mi
Seal Harbor Congregational Church
Industrial
4.4 mi
Bear Island Light Station
Industrial
4.6 mi
Blackwoods Campground
Industrial
4.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Baker Island Light Station listed on the National Register?

Baker Island Light Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Baker Island Light Station?

Baker Island Light Station is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Baker Island Light Station?

The period of significance for Baker Island Light Station is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Baker Island Light Station?

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