Location: Biddeford Pool, Maine (View Map)
Wood Island Lighthouse
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Coordinates: 43° 27′ 25″N 70° 19′ 45″W
Overview:
Wood Island Lighthouse…
Quick Lighthouse Facts:
- Year Built: 1858
- Height of Tower: 47 feet
- Description: White conical tower showing an alternate white & green light every 10 seconds from a focal plane of 71 feet above sea level. The white light is visible 18 nautical miles and the green light 16 nautical miles. The light station is equipped with a fog horn that sounds two blasts every 30 seconds – Reference: 2005 U.S. Coast Guard Light List
- Location: On east end of island, north side of south entrance to Wood Island Harbor. – Reference: 1939 U.S. Lighthouse Service Light List
- Automated: 1986
- Status: Active aid to navigation owned by the U.S. Coast Guard and licensed to the American Lighthouse Foundation. The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse – a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, is dedicated to restoring the historic lighthouse.
Light Station Historical Facts…
The original Wood Island Lighthouse was established in 1808 and consisted of a 45-foot octagonal wooden tower. Thirty-one years in 1839 a new conical tower was constructed out of granite to take the place of the deteriorating wood beacon. The present 47-foot lighthouse was constructed in 1858 and outfitted with a fourth order Fresnel lens later that year. The light station went through many changes over the years, including the tower’s lantern being removed in 1972, but public outcry about the ugliness of the “headless” tower resulted in the lantern being replaced when the light was automated in 1986.
Preservation Status:
Offshore – Seasonal Tours
Lighthouse Tours: Join ALF’s Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse for a tour of Wood Island Lighthouse!
Tours are offered in July and August (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) Learn More…
Local ALF Chapter Information:
Mailing Address:
Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse
P.O. Box 26
Biddeford Pool, ME 04006
