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Cape Elizabeth, ME |
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Description:
Two rubblestone towers were first erected on Cape
Elizabeth in 1828 at a cost of $4,250. President John Quincy Adams appointed Elisha Jordan
as the first keeper in October 1828 at a salary of $450 per year. In 1855 Fresnel lenses
were installed and in 1869 a giant steam whistle was set up for use in foggy weather. In
1873 the rubble towers were taken down and two cast-iron edifices erected, 300 yards
apart. One was a fixed and one a flashing light. A fog siren replaced the locomotive
whistle.
Keeper Hanna again threw his line and watched it land on the schooner. One of the seamen managed to reach it and bent it around his waist. Then he jumped into the sea and the keeper, with great effort, pulled him up over the rocky ledge. The keeper now heaved the line a second time and finally it reached the second seaman who wound it around his icy body. Then he too jumped into the ocean. Just as the keeper’s strength was exhausted in trying to haul ashore the second man, help came in the shape of the keeper’s assistant and two neighbors, who helped haul the man to safety. In 1924 the west tower of Cape Elizabeth Light was discontinued. The east tower, situated at the southern entrance to Portland Harbor, is equipped with a 1,800,000 candlepower light visible for 17 miles. The white conical lighthouse is 67 feet above ground and 129 feet above water. The second-order Fresnel lens from the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse was manufactured in Paris in 1874. The lens was removed from the tower in 1995 and is now on display at the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall. In May of 2000, the Coast Guard leased the east tower to the American Lighthouse Foundation, who is now responsible for its upkeep. The west tower is located roughly 300 yards from the east tower. References
Links: American Lighthouse Foundation Purchase prints and gifts featuring photographs on this page Location: Located in Cape Elizabeth. Latitude: 43.56608 Longitude: -70.20007 For a larger map of Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse, click the lighthouse in the above map or get a map from: Mapquest. Travel Instructions: Take Highway 77 to Cape Elizabeth and then turn southeast on Two Lights Road. Follow Two Lights Road for 1.4 miles to Two Lights Terrace. The Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse is located on a small rise at the end of Two Lights Terrace. The second tower is located roughly 300 yards west of this light. Perhaps the best public spot for viewing the twin towers is at The Lobster Shack Restaurant, located at the end of Two Lights Road, next to the fog signal building. The dwelling is privately owned. The tower is owned by the Coast Guard but leased to the American Lighthouse Foundation. Grounds/dwelling/tower closed. Find the closest hotels to Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse See our List of Lighthouses in Maine |
