Rockland Harbor Southwest Light
Rockland Harbor Southwest Light
Nearby town:
Owls Head, ME
Established:
1987
Year Light First Lit:
1987
Lighthouse Automated:
1987
Lighthouse Operational:
Yes, active aid to navigation
Tower Height: 25 feet
Present Optics:
Fifth Order Fresnel
Accessibility:
Viewed from shore; viewed by boat/boat charter
Open to public:
No, closed to public
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Rockland Harbor Southwest Light - located Maine's newest lighthouse shines in Rockland Harbor
Lighthouses have always been a staple of coastal life in Maine, and Rockland is certainly no exception. In addition to the Rockland Breakwater Light, Rockland Harbor Southwest Light (+44° 4' 57.65", -69° 5' 46.64") is a private aid to navigation. Its characteristic is a yellow flash every 2.5 seconds, with a range of twelve nautical miles.
Out of all the Maine lighthouses, Rockland Harbor Southwest Light is the newest. Dr. Bruce Woolett privately built and finished the light in 1987 after six years of construction and a $14,000 price tag. The unique lighthouse is an 18-foot tall, white, wood-frame, square structure built on top of a small building. The lighthouse marks and warns mariners of Seal Ledge and shallow waters southwest of Rockland Inner Harbor. It is the only privately built lighthouse in New England to become an official navigation aid.
An electric marine lens originally lit the lighthouse, but a fifth-order Fresnel lens from the Kennebec River Range Lights replaced this fixture in 1989. In 1998, the tower and dwelling were sold to John J. Gazzola who renovated the lighthouse.
Rockland Harbor Southwest Light is a private residence that is closed to the public, but it can be seen from the water or on shore at the end of Shearman’s Lane in Owl’s Head.
