The Nubble Lighthouse
in York Beach Maine is one of my favorite places outside of New
Hampshire and was also the inspiration for the "Not Quite New
Hampshire" edition of the NHTourGuide.com website. The Nubble Lighthouse was built in
1879 after Congress approved it in 1874 due to many boating
accidents. The Nubble Lighthouse is also known as the Cape Neddick
Lighthouse.
The Nubble Lighthouse
is a 2-layer thick brick lighthouse with a cast iron outer shell to
the lighthouse with a red blinking beacon which lights
every 6 seconds to warn ship captains. The walkway between the
Nubble Light and the house was constructed for the lighthouse
keeper. It protected the keeper from bad weather when the lighthouse
was needed most. Originally, there was a bell on the lighthouse that
was used in bad weather. It was replaced by a fog horn in 1961.
The Nubble Lighthouse
has been fully automated since 1987 and has not been occupied by a
lighthouse keeper since. The US Coast Guard now maintains the Nubble
Light. The town of York Maine owns and maintains the island. The
park where the Nubble Lighthouse can be viewed is Sohier Park.
Nubble Lighthouse Features
The Lighthouse:
The Nubble Lighthouse tower is 88 feet high and is made up of two layers of brick and
reinforced with wrap-around steel plates. It is 13 feet in diameter
at the base. The base floor of the Nubble Lighthouse is made of brick.
The stairwell is circular (or spiral) which wraps around the
inside of the lighthouse and takes you to the
lighthouse platform which leads to the base of the lens room. An eight-step
steel ladder goes up through a wooden trap door, giving access to
the platform surrounding the dome light of the lighthouse. The platform is enclosed by
a cast iron railing holding twelve posts that are each topped by
custom made cast iron moldings of the lighthouse tower for decor.
The Main House:
The main house is a two story, six room structure consisting of a
dining room., kitchen, pantry, living room, laundry room, three
bedrooms, and a single bathroom. The house is built in the shape of
a cross and is positioned so the roof points indicate north, south,
east and west to assist the lighthouse keeper in times where
direction was important.
The Boat House:
On the north side of the main house within 50
feet of the water sits the boat house of the Nubble Lighthouse
property. There are two rails that lead from the boat house
to the low tide water mark. Between the boat house and main house there
is a long flight of stairs and wooden ramp.
 The
Trolley System:
The Nubble Lighthouse
also has a very interesting item on the island. There is a basket
which is attached to a cable that extends from the mainland of Cape
Neddick Maine, to the Nubble Lighthouse island. The trolley system consists of a good sized wooden box that is
suspended on a thick metal cable which runs form the island to the mainland. The trolley system was used by the Keepers to transport groceries
and supplies over the water for the lighthouse keepers. See
"Interesting Facts" below for another version of the use of the
trolley / cable car.
The Work Shop:
The Work Shop is a small white building next to the generator house
where tools and equipment are stored.
The Generator House:
The Generator House is a little red brick house that was built in 1902.
The Generator House is located on the
front lawn and houses a backup generator in the event of a loss of
power.
Interesting Facts:
The Nubble Lighthouse
made national news when, in 1977, the US Coast Guard selected the
photo of the Nubble Lighthouse to be taken on the Voyager II
spacecraft,
believing it to be the quintessential lighthouse in America. It was
brought into outer space by NASA's "Voyager II" which took the
picture of the Cape Neddick (Nubble Lighthouse) into space to
represent "The American lighthouse."
David K. Winchester, a
Nubble Light keeper in the 1960s, used the the basket to transport
his son to school on the mainland, sending him over the swirling
waters below, until the unique technique was publicized in the
Boston Globe. Because of the newspaper piece, crowds started to show
for the twice-daily event. The U.S. Coast Guard, thinking it was not
in the best interest of the child to be 50 feet above the crashing
waters, put an end to it.
The Nubble Lighthouse
is the most photographed lighthouse in America.
Twice each year the
lighthouse is adorned with white lights, outlining the
 houses
and tower. The first event is known as "Christmas in July" and the
second is the Annual Lighting of the Nubble and both events are held
at Sohier Park. The Annual Lighting of the Nubble is always held the
first Saturday after Thanksgiving, This is a fun family evening with
a variety of entertainment.
Want to see more scenic
photos of the Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach Maine and other Maine
related scenery? Check out these
scenic photos and tourist information on Wells Maine.
Nubble Light Welcome
Center and Gift Shop Hours:
May 3rd – May 16th 9:00
am – 4:00 pm
May 17th – October 19th
9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Map and Directions
to the Nubble Lighthouse in York Beach Maine:
View Larger Map
Above map of the Nubble Lighthouse also offers
Satellite views, a terrain map and more photos of the Nubble
Lighthouse in York Beach Maine.
|
