A 1972 aerial view of Little River Island and Cutler Harbor.
(U.S. Coast Guard photo)
In an 1843 report to Congress, civil engineer I.W.P. Lewis advocated for a lighthouse to be built on Little River Island in Cutler, Maine. It wasn’t until March 1847 when Congress finally appropriated $5,000 for a light station at Little River. The station was completed later that same year.
The report’s text in regards to Little River Lighthouse is below…
Examination – Light-House Establishment, February 25, 1843
Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury transmitting a report from I.W.P. Lewis, civil engineer, upon the condition of the light-houses, beacons, buoys, and navigation, upon the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The first lighthouse and keeper’s house at Little River island, which was established in 1847.
(National Archives photo)
Light-Houses and beacon-lights required on the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts: “In steering for Passamaquoddy and the Bay of Fundy, there is no available harbor, after passing Machias Bay, between Little River and West Quoddy Head. This harbor of Little River is easy of access, sufficiently capacious for a large fleet, and the anchorage secure from all winds.
“The location being at the mouth of the strait leading into the Bay of Fundy, where the rapidity of the currents and prevalence of dense fog render the navigation very hazardous, coasters of all classes, as well as British timber ships, are very glad to avail themselves of this convenient haven, where they can await in safety the return of fine weather and fair winds.
The 1847 keeper’s house with the 1876 cast-iron lighthouse…note the remains of the 1847 tower on the right of the dwelling.
(National Archives photo)
“The rocky coast east of Little River has two considerable indents, called Moose Cove and Baylie’s Mistake, both of which are lined with reefs, and most unsafe to enter, affording no shelter, and, from their peculiar resemblance in outline to the rocky headlands of Little River, have been the cause of fatal disasters.
“There is no place on the coast of Maine where a light would be so truly serviceable as upon the island at the entrance of this harbor, a small beacon-light being alone required. This would at once prevent the recurrence of wrecks at Moose Cove and Baylie’s Mistake. There is already a fine village at Little River, with extensive tide mills for sawing lumber, and a large fishery.”
A present day view of Little River Light and keeper’s house.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
