Located between Deer Isle
and North Haven and commissioned
in 1839 by President Van Buren
Eagle Island was established to
guide vessels into the
Penobscot River and Bangor,
which was America's leading
lumber port in the mid 19th century.
The wood framed house and bell
tower were built at the same
time as the stone lighthouse.
In 1858 a fourth order Fresnel lens was installed,
and in 1895 an oil house was added.
A 4,200 pound fog bell made of bronze
was installed in the bell tower in 1932.
Automated in 1959 and all the
other building were auctioned off,
with the stipulation that
the buildings be removed from the property.
Alas no one came forward to
purchase anything so the Coast Guard
decided to destroy all building
except the lighttower.
The Quinn family appealed the
decision but were unsuccessful,
and all the buildings were razed in 1964.
While trying to remove the giant fog horn
they lost control of it and it
tumbled down the cliffs into the ocean,
and was found later on by a lobsterman
and sold to Photographer Eliot Porter.
