Like many other cool things I've enjoyed during my life here in Maine, lighthouses have provided interesting adventures. After all, we were lighthouse deprived during my youth in Appalachian Pennsylvania! Although, we did have fire towers.
Over the years, I have visited locations up and down the coast involving a variety of projects.We've even published lighthouse notecards and have made posters of Portland Head light, Pemaquid Point light and Quoddy Head.
I photographed the last coast guard keeper at Seguin for a story with Jennifer (then) Logan, then photographed a wedding on the island, in the fog, 30 years later. Our local lighthouses are wonderful too -- Ram Island, Hendricks Head, Burnt Island, Cuckolds. All with great history and connections to keeper families near and far.
Jamie Wyeth okayed a visit with him at his lighthouse residence off Tenants Harbor for a personal project about Maine people (which I've never finished, thank you very much) ironically leading to the purchase of our Jack Russell terrorist, Rooby. Jamie's dogs were considerably less challenging, but they had the run of an island. Big advantage.
Burnt Island light (pictured above) was kept at one time by a local family Muise, familiar to many of us here on shore. I think they were in charge from 1936-1951, or thereabouts. Coast Guardsman Tom Norton was the keeper 1968-1971. There was a nice tribute to Tom and family which I was invited to photo and video a while back.
Burnt Island Light is being saved by an energetic group of local volunteers. Part of its salvation comes from fundraising events, one of which was planned for Wednesday, July 12 at Spruce Point Inn. Even I was able to offer a print to be auctioned. The above image is the cover photograph for our 2018 calendar.
It's a house worth keeping. I hope you will help.