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Managing Organization:
Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum
Telephone: 207-372-6450
Website: http://www.mainemuseums.org/htm/museumdetail.php3?orgID=57
Contact Address Information:
P.O. Box 247
Port Clyde
Maine, 04855, United States
Notes:
The keeper's house was abandoned by the Coast Guard in 1980. The St. George Historical Society raised funds and the house was restored between 1986 and 1990. The Coast Guard still maintains the active light and fog signal. The first floor of the house now contains the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum; resident caretakers live on the second floor. Marshall Point Light was seen in the movie "Forrest Gump" and is featured in the children's book "Nellie the Lighthouse Dog."
Tower Height: 31
Height of Focal Plane: 30
Characteristic and Range: Fixed white.
Description of Tower: Cylindrical, white granite (lower part) and brick (upper part) tower with black cast iron lantern, attached to mainland by a walkway.
This light is operational
Other Buildings?
1895 two story wood Colonial Revival keeper's house, 1898 oil house.
Earlier Towers?
1832: 20-foot rubblestone tower.
Date Established: 1832
Date Present Tower Built: 1857
Date Automated: 1972
Optics: 1832: Seven lamps and reflectors; 1857: Fifth order Fresnel lens (removed 1971); 1980: 300 mm. Original Fresnel lens is now at the Shore Village Museum, 104 Limerock Street, Rockland, ME 04841, phone (207) 594-0311.
Fog Signal: 1898: 1,000 pound fog bell and striking machinery in bell tower; now automated fog horn with one blast every 10 seconds.
Current Use: Active aid to navigation, museum.
Open To Public? Museum in keeper's house and grounds.
Museum?
The Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum in the keeper's house is operated by the St. George Historical Society. It was visited by more than 13,000 people between May and October 1999. The museum is free (donations appreciated) and is open from May to October, 1 to 5 pm. On Saturdays in summer it's open 10 am to 5 pm. The museum has exhibits on local history, Marshall Point Light and other area lighthouses. There is also a small gift shop.
Directions:
From US Route 1 in Thomaston, take ME 131 toward St. George. Follow through the village of Tenants Harbor and into Port Clyde. At the first intersection in Port Clyde, turn left on Drift Inn Road. Continue to an intersection; turn right on Marshall Point Road. Continue straight past a "dead end" sign and a pair of stone pillars to the light station (one mile from the start of Drift Inn Road). There is free parking near the lighthouse station.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Keepers: Keepers: John Watts (1832-1835); Joshua Watts (1835-1839); William Perry, Jr. (1839-?); Daniel Bartlett (?-1843); William Battle (1843-1845); (?) Alexander (1845-1849); Samuel Hart (1849-1853); Orram Prescott (1853-1857 and 1861-1868); Ruggles Tory (1857-1861); Seth B. Prescott (1868-1874); Charles C. Skinner (1874-1919); Edward H. Pierce (1923-1933); Charles Allen (1933-1939); Charles Allen (U.S. Coast Guard, 1939-1946), Wilson Carter (U.S. Coast Guard, 1946-1952); Ralph Banks (U.S. Coast Guard, 1952-1963); ? (U.S. Coast Guard, 1963-1967), Rodney Drown (U.S. Coast Guard, 1967-1968); Lewis Carmichael, Jr. (U.S. Coast Guard,1968-1970); William Boddy (U.S. Coast Guard, 1970-1971).
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