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• Two Bush Island Light

Two Bush Island Light - Known largely for the heroism of the first keeper’s dog

Two Bush Island Light (+43° 57' 51.00", -69° 4' 26.00") is owned and maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and is an active U.S. Coast Guard navigational aid near Spruce Head. This 42-foot tall square tower has a characteristic of a flashing white light every five seconds with a red sector and its fog signal blasts once every fifteen seconds.

Two large pine trees inhabited the island and served as navigational day markers before the station was built. This is why two local fishermen named this Two Bush Island.

Two Bush Island Light Station was established in 1897 to mark the southwestern entrance to Two Bush Channel in Penobscot Bay. The lighthouse was originally lit with a fifth-order Fresnel lens, which was replaced with a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1902. It is now lit by a solar-powered VRB-25.

What does a dog have to do with a lighthouse? In the instance of Two Bush Island Light, the heroism of the first keeper's dog Smut (a Newfoundland-Shepherd mix) has made it somewhat famous. In 1902, the Clara Bella fishing schooner was in imminent danger of smashing into the rocks of Two Bush Island, so two men aboard jumped into a dory, and tried to land on the island. In all the commotion, they heard Smut barking, which the captain later described as “music coming from an angel.” The barking alerted the keeper, who rushed to shore and was able to guide the men to a safe landing. The Clara Bella sailors offered to buy Smut for any price, but of course, Smut's proud owner refused to sell his stalwart companion.

Two Bush Island Light was automated in 1964. In 1970, the Green Berets destroyed the dilapidated dwelling as part of a demolition exercise. While the lighthouse is not open to the public, it boasts some excellent views from the air or water.