The Saint Croix River between Calais and Eastport was a busy place in 1832. Maine's first railroad, the Calais Railroad, would bring lumber from upstream to Calais where it would be loaded aboard steamers bound for Eastport to be shipped. The Town/City would hang a red lantern on a tree to mark the American side of the "narrows". That light was needed to help the steamers make the tight turn in the river. By 1914 local leaders had convinced Congress and the new Light opened with a fourth order Fresnel Lens.
Automated in 1969 with an optic lens the station was leases to the Washington County Community College. Under the Light for Maine Program the ownership was transferred to the Saint Croix Historical Society. The keepers house is now privately owned and the Light itself is not open to the public. The Light can be viewed from the Saint Croix River Rest Area on Route 1, leaves obscure the view in summer.
While in the Calais area try the Calais Rail Line walking path. The rail bed of that first Maine railroad is now a trail. The trail is 1.4 miles long and follows the river through the city center, but does not reach as far south as the rest area.
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| An undated Coast Guard photo. |
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| A color photo |
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| Try the trail, I will next spring/summer |
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| The rest area is just south of the golf course, the trail is intown. |
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