I would like to thank my wife for her help in creating this site and sharing some of her photos. The pictures of Portland Head, & Pemaquid Light, as well as all of the photo's on the Favorite Photo's Page near the end of this web site are contributions she made. We hope you enjoy our pictures and please invite friends and family members to visit our page.
Construction for Portland Head Lighthouse began in 1787 supervised by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for which Maine was a part of at that time. Then the federal government took over the supervision of the lighthouse construction and it was under the direction of John Nichols and Jonathan Bryant.
In 1790 at a height of 58 feet the light was considered finished. But then officials decided to raise the tower after realizing it was to low because of a neighboring headland that was blocking the view of the light from the sea. The authority to raise the tower came from Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury.
Captain Joseph Greenleaf was appointed lighthouse keeper by President George Washington in January 1791. He served for only a few years and then was replaced by Barzillai Delano. In 1820 the State of Maine was formed seperating it from Massachusetts and also in that year Delano died in service at the lighthouse. The new keeper appointed after Delano's death was Joshua Freemen.
In September 1850 thirteen reflectors were installed and within one year another lantern was installed. By 1852 the reflectors were so badly scratched that they needed to be replaced. It was decided at that time to install a Fresnel lens which was already being used in other lighthouses and in 1855 the installation of the Fresnel lense was complete. In 1855 the tower was enlarged at the top and a more powerful lens was installed. The new light was illuminated for the first time on January 15,1885.
Two shipwrecks happened at Portland Head a steamer ship named the "Bohemian" and a ship named "Anne C. Maguire". The Bohemian crashed on Alden's Rock on February 22,1864 and the Anne C. Maguire smashed on a ledge on December 24, 1886.
Joshua F. Strout became Head Keeper in 1867 and was paid $620.00 a year for his service. His wife May worked as his Assistant Keeper and was paid $480.00 a year. Strout retired and his son Joseph W. Strout took his position at the light. Later Frank O. Hilt became the lighthouse keeper.
Also it was often said that poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow would sit at Portland Head Light to compose his poetry.
In early days a bell was sounded to warn off incoming vessels.
Today incoming vessels listen for the sound of a foghorn such as this one pictured here.