One pretty place: Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, Bristol, Maine.
Approachable and easily accessible, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is a treasure both for the state of Maine and for those of us looking for the quintessential charming white lighthouse.
Established in 1827, the light sits on a unique rock promontory in Bristol, Maine, near New Harbor and the town of Newcastle. After a bout with crumbling plaster (salt water had been mixed with the original plaster), the lighthouse had to be rebuilt using only freshwater in the construction. It opened in 1835.
Pemaquid Light with flag at half staff to honor those massacred in Las Vegas, October 20, 2017.
A striking painted-white 38-foot tower stands tall , and the day we visited, the whole structure including the Fisherman’s Museum located in the original wood-framed lighthouse keeper’s home, positively glowed with the effects of the afternoon sun.
Glowing in the sun: Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
In 1856, a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed in the tower, one of only eight such lenses still in use in Maine today, and you can visit the tower Memorial Day to Columbus Day.
Lighting the way: tower at Pemaquid Point
We walked the grounds, noting the raw beauty of the craggy shore and small, but private picnic area. If you’re looking for a postcard-picture of Maine’s coast, this is one place you’ll want to see.
Rocky promontory at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse remains a favorite for its quiet countenance and visitor-friendly grounds planted with spectacular perennials. Go for the view. Go for the simplicity. Go for the museum. Whatever you hoped for in a Maine lighthouse is probably there — at Pemaquid Point.
Rocky shore at Pemaquid Point
For more information:
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, 3115 Bristol Rd, Bristol, ME 04558
Visit Maine website with information on location, entry fee, and hours for visitors.
Facebook: Pemaquid Point Lighthouse
For more posts on Maine, check out our Travel Series: Autumn Down East. We’d love to show you Maine through our eyes!