Pumpkin Island Light, Historic lighthouse in Penobscot Bay, Maine, United States.
Pumpkin Island Light is a white brick tower with a black lantern room sitting on a small rocky island at the entrance of Eggemoggin Reach. The structure rises approximately 22 feet (7 meters) above the water and stands at the western gateway to Penobscot Bay.
The lighthouse was built in 1854 to guide ships safely through Penobscot Bay waters and improve navigation along this busy coastal passage. It operated for more than 80 years before becoming inactive in 1933 as modern navigation methods reduced the need for active light stations.
The structure represents the maritime heritage of Maine's coastal communities, where fishing and lumber trading shaped local development throughout the 19th century.
The lighthouse sits on an island and is best viewed from the fishing pier on Little Deer Isle, which you can reach by taking Route 15 from Orland. The building cannot be entered, but the view from nearby coastal areas and water vantage points shows the tower against the bay setting.
Charles Babson served as lighthouse keeper from 1870 to 1902 despite having lost a leg during the Civil War, and he carried out multiple rescues of sailors in distress. His determination to work on such an isolated station despite his injury stands out as a remarkable part of the lighthouse's story.
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