N U B B L E   L I G H T H O U S E

York Beach, Maine

Monday, October 18, 2004

Sight: #22

Location: York Beach, Maine

• From Route 1A, take Nubble Road .5 miles to Sohier Park.
• The lighthouse is located on Cape Neddick Nubble, a small rocky island a short
  distance off the eastern point of Cape Neddick.

Hours: Open year-round!

Access: Restricted, the general public cannot tour the lighthouse nor set foot on Nubble Rock.

Links: Official Website | Email

Retail: Click here get your Nubble Lighthouse merch!

Rating:

(5 max)

Located near York Beach, Maine, visual access to Nubble Lighthouse by land is best facilitated with a visit to Sohier Park. This little park sits at the eastern point of Cape Neddick.

To help raise money for the restoration and preservation of Nubble Lighthouse, donations are accepted, and in return the donors get their names engraved on a brick walkway.

Nubble Lighthouse sits atop Cape Neddick Nubble, an small rocky island that is nicknamed "Savage Rock." It received its nickname centuries ago in 1602 by explorer Bartholomew Gosnold, who met with a group of local Indians on the island. The island itself measures in at around 800 by 300 feet.

The facility consists of a 41-foot cast-iron, brick-lined tower with an adjoining house where the lighthouse keeper would live. In the foreground to the right you'll find the red oil house where oil was stored for the lighthouse's oil lamp. In the foreground to the left is where you'll find the white boat house, which was replaced in 1978 when the original was washed out during a particularly nasty blizzard.

A number of upgrades have been made over the years to the lighthouse. The original 3,000 lb fog bell, that once could be heard from 6 miles away, has since been replaced by a modern diaphragm horn that sounds one blast every 10 seconds when activated. As for the light, while once a constant glowing red, now runs on an interval of 3 seconds red, 3 seconds dark.

Public access to the island and hence the lighthouse is strictly prohibited. There is a gondola of sorts that is used to ferry people and supplies to and from the island.

That concludes my tour of Nubble Lighthouse. Unfortunately, I don't have access to the buildings, but, that seems to make the lighthouse all the more special. I really do like this lighthouse. I give it a perfect rating, 5 thumbs-up!