Baker Island (Maine)
| Baker Island | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | Atlantic Ocean | |
| Archipelago | Cranberry Islands | |
| Geographical location | 44 ° 14 '28 " N , 68 ° 11' 56" W | |
|
||
| length | 1.1 km | |
| width | 1 km | |
| surface | 55 ha | |
 |
||
Baker Island is an island off the coast of the US state Maine .
location
The 135 acre island is the outermost of the Cranberry Islands , which lie southeast of Mount Desert Island at the entrance to Frenchman Bay . There are several cliffs and a sandbar nearby, so navigation in the area of the western access to Frenchman Bay needs to be facilitated by sea marks. There has been a lighthouse on the island since 1828, it has the coordinates 44 ° 14'28 "N and 68 ° 11'56" W.
history
The island had been owned by the Gilley family since the beginning of the 19th century. In 1827, following an instruction from President John Quincy Adams, construction began in 1827 near the highest point on the island of a 26 feet high lighthouse, including a four-room house with a separate kitchen made of rubble stone. The tower was crowned by an octagonal, iron lantern in which 10 lamps operated by whale oil and 15-inch (approx. 38 cm) reflectors emitted a continuous white light. The owner of the island was hired as a lighthouse keeper for an annual salary of US $ 350, disputes later led to legal disputes over the rights of use, in which the federal government was ultimately awarded the right to own 19 acres (7.7 hectares) including rights of way.
As with many of Maine's lighthouses built before 1850, unsuitable mortar was used in the construction, which led to leaks and finally, after only 25 years, to complete reconstruction. The lighthouse keeper's house was hit much harder; it was replaced in 1837 and then again in 1855. As part of the last reconstruction, a significantly enlarged wooden building was built, which still exists to this day.
The lighthouse, which is still in operation today, was built from bricks and reaches a height of 43 feet (about 13.1 meters). The white flashing light emitted by a fourth order Fresnel lens is visible over a distance of at least 10 nautical miles. The cladding of the tower was added another layer of brick in 1903.
In 1966, the switch to automated operation took place, administration of the island was transferred to the National Park Service , but the lighthouse itself was still operated by the US Coast Guard .
The cessation of operations was examined for the first time in 1991, complaints led to the temporary continuation of operations, but another examination procedure followed in 1997. Ultimately, in 2002, the US Coast Guard stopped operations and replaced it with a buoy off the coast.
tourism
The island is now part of the Acadia National Park , a visit is normally not possible except as part of the summer boat tours. Good observation points are rare due to the location of the lighthouse; from the end of the Wonderland Trail near the Bass Harbor Head lighthouse , it is possible to see the structure about 5.5 miles (9 km) to the east, Great and Little Cranberry Island allow just like the summer boat trips, a view from a shorter distance.
Lighthouse keeper
1828-1848 William Gilley
1849-1853 John Rich
1853–1860 Joseph Bunker
1860–1861 John Bunker
1861-1867, Freeman G. Young
1867-1883 Alden H. Jordan
1883-1888 Roscoe G. Lopaus
1888-1902 Howard P. Robbins
1902-1912 George Connors
1912–? Vurney L. King
? –1936 Joseph Muise
1936-1944 F. Faulkingham
1944–1945 Wayne Edson Holcomb (US Coast Guard)
1945–195? Ernest Mathie
195? –195? (Eugene?) Coleman
195? –195? ? Clements
Web links
- Baker Island lighthouse . Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- Virtual guide in English