World of Lighthouses

New photos of lighthouses every day

Instagram

Maine / Portland Head lighthouse
J0206

Find all pictures of this light
Maine / Portland Head lighthouse
The lighthouse at Portland Head, Maine, was planned by the Massachusetts state government (Maine being part of Massachusetts until 1820). The federal government took over its construction in 1789. The light tower, completed in January 1791, was built by two local stonemasons, Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols. Like Boston Harbor, the Portland Head tower is round in cross section and built of rubblestone. The original plan was for a 58-foot tower, but General Benjamin Lincoln, the federal supervisor, ordered it raised to 72 feet so the light would not be blocked from the south. Bryant quit in protest at the change in plans, and Nichols finished the work.
The upper part of the tower has been modified several times: the 20-foot section below the gallary was added in the 1860's, removed in 1883, and restored in 1885. The height of the modified tower is 80 feet. The lantern held a second-order Fresnel lens from 1885 to 1991, when a DCB-224 aerobeacon was installed. The light station is now owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth and operated as the Museum at Portland Head Light. 
Source of the text: [url=http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/types/oldest.html]Russ Rowlett's Lighthouse directory[/url]
Keywords: Maine;Portland;Atlantic ocean

The lighthouse at Portland Head, Maine, was planned by the Massachusetts state government (Maine being part of Massachusetts until 1820). The federal government took over its construction in 1789. The light tower, completed in January 1791, was built by two local stonemasons, Jonathan Bryant and John Nichols. Like Boston Harbor, the Portland Head tower is round in cross section and built of rubblestone. The original plan was for a 58-foot tower, but General Benjamin Lincoln, the federal supervisor, ordered it raised to 72 feet so the light would not be blocked from the south. Bryant quit in protest at the change in plans, and Nichols finished the work.
The upper part of the tower has been modified several times: the 20-foot section below the gallary was added in the 1860's, removed in 1883, and restored in 1885. The height of the modified tower is 80 feet. The lantern held a second-order Fresnel lens from 1885 to 1991, when a DCB-224 aerobeacon was installed. The light station is now owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth and operated as the Museum at Portland Head Light.
Source of the text: Russ Rowlett's Lighthouse directory

Rate this file (Current rating : 5 / 5 with 1 votes)
File information
Album name:peelander / Northeast coast of US
Rating (1 votes):55555(Show details)
Current status (active, not active, museum etc):Active
Height of the tower, m:25 Focal plane elevation above sea level, m:30
Light Description (light sectors, colour of the light, number of flashes etc):Light1: Flashing, 4s, fl.0.4, ecl. 3.6s, white; Light2: Fixed 271.2-274.2 red, 274.2-275.7 white, 275.7-289.2 green
Range, nm:Light1: 24 nm; Light2: white 15 nm, red and green 11 nm
Any other comments:Emergency Lt FW Horn(1) 15.00s Tr
Coordinates (in any format):43 37.3861 N 70 12.4716 W
Displayed:166 times
Date added:Mar 24, 2012
Keywords:Maine / Portland / Atlantic ocean
Download Picture:For registered users only
Add your comment
Anonymous comments are not allowed here. Log in to post your comment
Portland_Breakwater1~0.jpg Portland_Breakwater2.jpg Portland_Breakwater~1.jpg portland_head_light_maine_analoog.jpg LH5a_Portland_Head.JPG LH51_Edward_Hoppers_view.jpg 7876158812_48f7b0f75a_o.jpg