Great Duck Island Light Station
4QR3+VJ Frenchboro, ME, USA
Name and Location
Great Duck Island Light Station, also known as "Great Duck Island Light", stands at the southern tip of Great Duck Island in Frenchboro, Hancock County, Maine, USA.
Construction and History
The lighthouse was commissioned in 1890 and continues to serve mariners under U.S. Coast Guard authority. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Ref. no. 87000936) and was added on June 15, 1987.
Architecture and Materials
The tower is a brick structure with a square-pyramidal shape, set on a granite foundation, and features an iron lantern room. The exterior is painted white, while the lantern and trim are painted black. The keeper's quarters are attached to the tower and were built using similar materials.
Light and Navigation
The lighthouse has a tower height of 41 feet (12.5 meters) above base and a focal height of 80 feet (24 meters) above mean high water. It emits a white light flashing every 6 seconds, with a range of 16 nautical miles. The optic is a Fourth-order Fresnel lens (original) or modern acrylic replica.
Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation managed by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, it does not offer public accessibility due to its remote location and requires private or chartered boat transportation. There are no visitor facilities or guided tours available.
Notable Views and Landscape
Great Duck Island lies at the outer edge of Frenchman Bay, characterized by Maine's rocky coast and spruce-fir islands. The station overlooks oceanic waters frequented by shipping and whale-watching vessels.
Anecdotes and Folklore
In 1938, during a severe hurricane, the lighthouse stood firm, with the keeper reporting storm surge and high seas nearly washing over the island. Three successive families of keepers occupied the station through World War II.
Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse was automated in 1986 and is monitored remotely by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Northern New England.
Further Information
(Note: No further information available based on provided data.)
Details
| Name | Great Duck Island Light Station |
|---|---|
| City | |
| Country | Usa |
| Coordinates | 44.1421771, -68.2459258 |
| Year of construction | 1890 |
| Events | 1938 New England hurricane |
| Keeper stories | Keeper history: families of three successive keepers occupied the station through World War II. |
| Stories | Notable Events & Anecdotes: 1938 New England hurricane: light station stood firm; keeper reported storm surge and high seas nearly washed over the island. |
| Architectural style | utilitarian late-Victorian lighthouse design |
| Architect | U.S. Lighthouse Board |
| Construction material | {"main":"brick","secondary":"granite"} |
| Focal height | 24 |
| Tower height | 12.5 |
| Heritage status | true |
| Access description | private or chartered boat |
| Accessible | false |
| Landscape type | rocky coast |
| View description | Maine’s rocky coast and spruce–fir islands |
| Guided tours | false |
| Nearby attractions | ["seasonal ecological research station"] |
| Light characteristic | "Fl W 6s" |
| Light range | 16 |
| Automated | true |