A Brief History

By the early 19th century, the waters off Maine were busy with commercial shipping and fishing boats. The rocks and shoals off Pemaquid Point were a particular hazard. As a result, in 1826, Congress appropriated $4,000 for the construction of a lighthouse to mark the entrances to Johns and Muscongus Bays. The new tower and adjoining Keeper's House, both constructed of local stone, were finished in 1827. Isaac Dunham of Bath was the first keeper at a salary of $350 a year.

Within a few years, both the tower and the house began to crumble. Apparently, the original mason made his mortar with sea water -- not fresh water -- a mixture that leads to quick decay. In 1835, the tower was demolished; its replacement was built properly and still stands today. The keeper's house was replaced in 1857 with the two story wooden home you see now.