Wood Island Light by Greg Marlett

Woods Island Light is a wonderfully romantic lighthouse, especially when viewed in solitude from the Audubon Society preserve on Eastern Point at Biddeford Pool. Here the lighthouse is accompanied by crashing surf, an ocean dotted with islands, and a view of Old Orchard Beach. The tower, which is located on the northeast side of Wood Island Harbor and marks the entrance to the Saco River, can also be seen from the shore of Biddeford Pool and Hills Beach.
Wood Island comprises a 49-foot white conical granite block tower and a one and a half story wooden keeper's house. Both were originally erected in 1808, although the original tower was replaced with another, of the same style, in 1858,

The second oldest lighthouse in Maine, Wood Island Light is not without its stories! Legend says the lighhouse is haunted by a murder victim, and the tower is the location of several dramatic rescues at sea. It is said that it was once inhabited by a dog who rang the fog bell, and in the 1870s was home to a pub and distillery that were burnt by drunken revelers. In the 1940s, during World War II, the light station was visited by a surrendering German submarine!
The lighthouse is reached by boat only. While it is closed to the public, tours can be arranged by the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, P.O. Box 26, Biddeford Pool, ME 04006.

Year Established: 1808

Year Automated: 1986

Shape: Conical

Height: 49 ft.

Characteristic: Alternating white and green flashes every ten seconds. Fog signal: two blasts every 30 seconds.

Accessibility: The light is accessible only by boat and is closed to the public, although tours can be arranged through the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse. The tower can be viewed along the shore of Biddeford Pool and Hills Beach, as well as from the Audubon Society preserve on East Point at Biddeford Pool.

Author: Greg Marlett, Copyright 2007, All rights reserved