Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge

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Beacons of Safety for People and Seabirds

Once essential for safe maritime travel, lighthouses now provide sanctuary for nesting seabirds. Eight lighthouse islands on the Maine coast have been transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to the refuge.

For more than a century, light keepers operated beacons on Petit Manan, Franklin, Pond, Two Bush, and Libby islands; and Matinicus and Egg rocks to ensure safe travel for passing vessels. With the advent of underwater electric cables and solar power, automation of the lights became possible. The islands were transferred to the Service from the Coast Guard, which still maintains the lights. All of the lights are on the National Register of Historic Places, with the exception of Two Bush Island Light.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for maintaining the lighthouses and protecting nesting habitat for seabirds on these islands. Common, Arctic, and endangered roseate terns; Atlantic puffins; razorbills; black guillemots; common eiders; Leach's storm-petrels; and laughing, herring, and great black-backed gulls nest on our lighthouse islands, although not all on the same ones. The Service and the National Audubon Society are actively working to re-establish colonies of nesting terns on Pond and Petit Manan islands and Matinicus Rock.

Petit Manan Light, Steuben, Maine
Station Established	1817
Present Lighthouse Built	1855
Automated	1972
Height of Tower	119 feet
Height of Focal Plane	123 feet
Original Optic /Present Optic	Second order Fresnel / DCB -224
Fog Signal	One blast every 30 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	1875 keeper’s house 1876 engine house 1887 fog signal building and rain shed

Pond Island Light, Phippsburg, Maine
Station Established	1821
Present Lighthouse Built	1855
Automated	1963
Height of Tower	20 feet
Height of Focal Plane	52 feet
Original Optic / Present Optic	Fifth order Fresnel / 250 mm
Fog Signal	Two blasts every 30 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	None

Matinicus Rock Light, Matinicus Isle, Maine
Station Established	1827
Present Lighthouse Built	1857
Automated	1983 (North light discontinued in 1924)
Height of Tower	48 feet
Height of Focal Plane	90 feet
Original Optic / Present Optic	Third order Fresnel / DCB -224
Fog Signal	One blast every 15 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	1864 keeper’s house and 1890 oil house

Egg Rock Light, Winter Harbor, Maine
Station Established	1875
Present Lighthouse Built	1875
Automated	1976
Height of Tower	40 feet
Height of Focal Plane	64 feet
Original Optic / Present Optic	Fifth order Fresnel / 190 mm
Fog Signal	Two blasts every 30 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	1875 keeper’s house (integral to tower)

Two Bush Light, Matinicus Isle, Maine
Station Established	1897
Present Lighthouse Built	1897
Automated	1964
Height of Tower	42 feet
Height of Focal Plane	65 feet
Original Optic / Present Optic	Fifth order Fresnel / Solar powered modern optic
Fog Signal	One blast every 15 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	none

Libby Island Light, Machiasport, Maine
Station Established	1822
Present Lighthouse Built	1824 (?)
Automated	1974
Height of Tower	42 feet
Height of Focal Plane	91 feet
Original Optic / Present Optic	Fourth order Fresnel / Solar powered modern optic
Fog Signal	One blast every 15 seconds
Other Structures Still Standing	1884 fog signal building

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Contact Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge
at MaineCoastal@fws.gov or:

P.O. Box 279
Milbridge, ME 04658
207/546-2124