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• Rockland Breakwater Light

Rockland Breakwater Light - located at the end of a 4300-foot granite pier in Rockland Harbor

Rockland Breakwater Light (+44° 6' 15.00", -69° 4' 39.00") is located at the south end of a 4,300-foot long breakwater. It is an active U.S. Coast Guard aid to navigation with a characteristic of a flashing white every 5 seconds, and a range of 17 nautical miles. Its fog signal is 1 blast every 15 seconds.

In 1902, a permanent lighthouse was built at the end of the Rockland Breakwater by the W.H. Glover Company of Rockland. The square, red brick tower is attached to a wood-frame keeper's dwelling and a brick fog signal building. The lantern originally housed a fourth-order Fresnel lens.

Rockland Breakwater was a “stag” station, meaning that the keepers' families did not live there.

Rockland Breakwater Light was automated in 1965 and the keepers were removed. The fourth-order lens left with them, and its whereabouts are currently unknown. The Coast Guard announced plans to tear down the station in 1973, but due to community protest, the nearby Samoset Resort took on some of the upkeep responsibilities. However, in 1998, the City of Rockland adopted the station under the Maine Lights Program.

Ferries to Vinalhaven, North Haven, and Matinicus Island all provide excellent views of the breakwater and light. For a closer view, the lighthouse is open for tours on weekends in the summer months. Guests get to stroll the breakwater or sit and watch vessels come and go.

Rockland Breakwater Light is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We would like to thank Robert English for granting us permission to use his images of Rockland Breakwater Light. You can view more images of Rockland Breakwater Light and Maine Lighthouses by visitng Robert's Flickr page.