The Portland Head Lighthouse is located on the southwest side of the entrance to Portland Harbor on a beautifully scenic headland.
This magnificent Lighthouse, was the first one to be completed by the
United States government, and is the most visited, painted and
photographed light in New England.
During the civil war, shipping in Portland Harbor commonly came under attack. The tower was raised to a height of 80 feet in 1864 to extend its visibility as well as warn ships of the nearby Alden's Rock and Bulward Shoals. Its height of focal plane stands at 101 feet above the water. A second order Fresnel lens was added at the same time. The fourth order lens was re-installed in 1883 but replaced again by the second order lens in 1885. A fog signal house was added in 1880 and a two-story, wood frame, duplex keeper's residence was constructed in 1891. The site also sports a brick oil house pre-dating 1891. The fog signal building was destroyed by a storm in 1975 but rebuilt that same year and stands in front of the tower. The tower and keeper's quarters are joined by a wooden workroom.
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Copyright ©Maria Gemma June, 2012, All Rights Reserved, Worldwide.
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