The bell tower

This bell hangs on the bell tower but is no longer used as an aid to navigation.

The oil house

For a time a hotel was in operation close to the lighthouse. Mary Bradford Crowninshield's 1886 book All Among the Lighthouses described the scene at Fort Point Light: The view up the river is a lovely one from this place, and also seaward, over the bay filled with its many islands, when the day is clear... There were brightly dressed children playing about in the grounds of the hotel, and summer visitors wandering about the wild paths, or walking over by the lighthouse bank, for the hotel and the lighthouse are very near each other.

The Fort Point Hotel, in operation 1872-1898 (courtesy of Fort Point State Park / Terry Cole).

John Thurston (left) was keeper 1902-1919. The other man is John Spurling, who was keeper at Dice Head Light in Castine, ME. Courtesy of Danny Harrison and Fort Point State Park/Terry Cole.

Because of its beautiful and accessible location, Fort Point Light was a sought-after station for keepers. A total of only four men kept the light from the 1880s into the 1930s.

Elizabeth and Keeper Arthur Mitchell by the fog bell. Mitchell was keeper 1929-1952. Courtesy of Arthur Curtis and Fort Point State Park/Terry Cole.

A letter submitted by Keeper Ernest Mathie to a newspaper called the Maine Coast Fisherman in September 1956 offered an interesting glimpse of life at the lighthouse: Have been busy mowing lawns and trying to get the spruce green on the windows and doors. The weatherman has kept me mowing lawns on pleasant days when I should be painting. He is not at all cooperative. There are quite a lot of summer visitors around and the cottages on Fort Point Road are full. Colby Wardwell and family of Bangor are spending the summer at their cottage. The Robert Fosters and many friends are at their summer house for several weeks. The Clarence Costales and friends and the Mitchells and Hoyts will be along soon for their vacations at their cottages.

Hoyt Chane's three granddaughters made the headlines in Lubec, saving two young men from drowning. It took quick thinking and prompt work and much courage on the girls part to bring the victims safely ashore. He must be very proud of them and we are also. The time passes quickly and fall weather is here evenings. Our little garden has produced radishes, beet greens, and carrots with cukes to follow. The flowers have been beautiful, nature waters them.

Our old dog, Cody, walked out and started pulling at the bell rope one day last week as a tanker was going in the river. She barked and seemed quite spry for an old lady dog when they saluted. She had an audience at the time and that is what she likes. Am looking forward to my fall vacation. Bye fellow keepers.

The light was automated in 1988, and Larry Baum was the last Coast Guard keeper at the family station. Baum had previously served 20 months at Great Duck Island Light Station, far offshore. Baum, his wife, Valerie, and their three young daughters appreciated life at Fort Point, close to schools and shopping.

The lighthouse grounds are now part of Fort Point State Park. Since 1988, the resident "keepers" for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands have been Lawrence "Terry" Cole and Jeralyn Cole.  Terry was the keeper at Fort Point Light back when he was in the Coast Guard in the early 1970s, and was thrilled to come back to the station. One of the Coles' daughters was married at the lighthouse.

Terry Cole, caretaker, with his wife Jeri and Molly, the lighthouse dog

Fort Point Lighthouse is a rare case of a square tower on the outside, but inside its brick lining is round, with a circular iron stairway. The only other lighthouse in Maine that fits this description (to the best of my knowledge) is Deer Island Thorofare Light near Stonington. In June 2002, I received the following note from Seamond Ponsart Roberts, whose father Octave Ponsart was keeper at several Massachusetts light stations. It may explain the mystery of why a round stairway was put in a square tower, but it isn't clear whether it refers to Fort Point or Deer Island Thorofare light. Dad was talking with the government carpenter once and the carpenter, a Mr. Reynolds from Fairhaven, said something like, 'Did ya know there's a light in Maine, square on the outside and round on the inside?' and we were amazed. And he said he was told that at the time they built it, they had an old spiral staircase available, but the plans had called for a square outside. So they made it round for the staircase and then square to match the plans.

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Keepers: 

(This list is a work in progress. If you have any information on the keepers of this lighthouse, I'd love to hear from you. You can email me at nelights@gmail.com. Anyone copying this list onto another web site does so at their own risk, as the list is always subject to updates and corrections.)

William Clewly (1836-1850); Levi Bowdin (1850-1853); John Odom (1853-1861); Henry Stowell (1861-1866); Hiram Grant (1866-1882); Adelbert Webster (1882-1902); John Thurston (1902-1919); Edward Farren (1919-1929); Arthur Mitchell (1929-1952); Ernest Mathie (Lighthouse Service, then Coast Guard, 1952-1957); Ernest DeRaps (Coast Guard. 1957-?); Wayne McGraw (Coast Guard); Ray Scarborough (Coast Guard); Gene Benner (Coast Guard); Harry Lahaye (Coast Guard); Terry Cole (Coast Guard, 1973-1976); Paul Munroe (Coast Guard, 1976-1979); ? Smith (Coast Guard); Alan Daniel Achorn (Coast Guard, 1980-1984); Larry Baum (Coast Guard, ?-1988).