West Quoddy Head
| West Quoddy Head | ||
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| Place: | Lubec , Maine | |
| Location: | Maine , United States | |
| Geographical location: | 44 ° 48 '54 " N , 66 ° 57' 2" W | |
| Fire carrier height : | 25 m | |
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| Scope knows: | 13.5 nm (25 km ) | |
| Construction time: | 1808 | |
| Operating time: | since 1808 | |
The West Quoddy Head is the easternmost point on the mainland of the State of Maine , and thus the United States of America . It forms the western entrance to Cobscook Bay and the St. Croix River and through the Quoddy Head State Park with nature provided.
In 1808 a lighthouse was made from rubble masonry . Like all lighthouses built in Maine before 1850 - with the exception of the Portland Head Light - it was 49 feet high. This lighthouse was replaced in 1853, which was demolished in 1858 due to poor quality mortar. As a result, the cast-iron structure that still exists today, encased in brickwork, was erected. The building is 49 ft (approximately 15 m) high, the diameter is 16 ft (approximately 4.9 m) at the base and tapers to 14 ft. (Approximately 4.3 m). The red and white striped building now has 15 horizontal stripes (8 × red, 7 × white), historical photos show 16 stripes (8 × red, 8 × white) or 13 stripes (7 × red, 6 × white). The lighthouse has been automated since 1988, a computer-controlled mechanism operates the white flashing light, which reaches a height of 83 feet (approx. 25 m) above sea level. The visibility of the light, which flashes all day, is 15 to 18 nautical miles (24 to 29 kilometers). The US Coast Guard renewed the paintwork in 2003, and the lantern mirrors were overhauled in the following year. The lighthouse keeper's home, built in 1857, now houses a museum maintained by the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association and open from Memorial Day through mid-October.
The best view of the lighthouse is from the end of Quoddy Head Road, which leads from the center of Lubec to the parking lot near the coast in the state park.
