Whaleback Light by Greg Marlett

The least glamorous of all the southern coast lighthouses, Whaleback Light is situated on the northeast side of Portsmouth Harbor at the mouth of the Piscataqua River, and is approachable through the town of Kittery. This lonely and somewhat drab looking lighthouse is conical in shape and made of dovetailed granite ashtar. Structurally it resembles England's Eddystone Lighthouse. It stands 50 feet tall and has a black cast-iron lantern.

However, Whaleback light has had its share of controversy. Because of its location New Hampshire and Maine had a decades-long dispute about which state the light really belonged to. The U.S. Coast Guard settled the dispute when they decided that the rocks the lighthouse sits on are in Maine waters.

This lighthouse had a rough start, and because of its history of structural deficiencies it's amazing that the light is still operational today. It was initially erected in 1820, but a rough winter with many harsh storms immediately damaged the lighthouse beyond repair. A second lighthouse—the one you see today—was built on the site in 1831. This time, however, the tower's foundation was not bolted to the bedrock. These construction issues were eventually addressed and improved upon. The lighthouse, still wobbly, somehow managed to stand for 40 years! In 1872 more improvements were made, specifically the bottom of the old structure and base of today's 75-foot tower were combined, and this time someone remembered to bolt the whole thing to the bedrock!

Year Established: 1820
Year Automated: 1963
Shape: Conical
Height: 50 ft.

Characteristic: Two white flashes every 10 seconds. Fog signal: Two blasts every 30 seconds. Interesting note: In 1991 the Coast Guard lowered the volume of the fog signal because the vibrations were damaging the lighthouses's walls.

Accessibility: The light is accessible only by boat and is closed to the public. The best places to view it are Fort McClary State Historic Site and Fort Foster in Kittery off of 103. It can also be viewed from Fort Constitution and New Castle Island Park in New Castle, NH.

Author: Greg Marlett, please visit http://gregsebo.blogspot.com for further Maine lighthouse and Maine tourism information.

Copyright 2007, all rights reserved. No copying, publication or duplication without the expressed permission of the author.