Twenty miles out from the nearest port on Mount Desert Island sit this light. At one time it was considered the most exposed light in the United States. The highest elevation at high tide is 17 feet.
Samuel de Champlain named the rock in 1604 and it's far away neighbor Mount Desert Island (those are pronounced as "dessert" like part of a meal).
Congress appropriated $5,000.00 and on March 2, 1829 work began. A 44 foot tower and lantern shone a white light 44 feet above the mean high water. There were one keeper and one assistant. A new 55 foot tower and lantern were built in 1847, with a fourth-order Fresnel lens the new light had a beacon the rotated and flashed white every 15 seconds. A second dwelling was built to replace the old one and several out-buildings (oil house, boat house, etc.) were built at that time.
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| Aerial view. USCG |
The light was automated in the 1970's, the "rock", except for the Light, is the property of The College of the Atlantic, it is used for whale watching studies. Students and staff have cataloged over 4000 whales while on the "rock".
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| An early Coast Guard photo show the original house. |
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