West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Keeper - West Quoddy Head Lighthouse sits on the easternmost point of the continental US and welcomes the day ’ s first rays of sunlight during the spring and fall equinoxes . West Quoddy is one of only two still-standing U . S . lighthouses with red-and-white bands . Photo by Jerry Monkman .
Lighthouses
In the early 19th century , the explosion of maritime traffic off the Downeast coast required improved aids to navigation . Steam passenger vessels connected the coastal and larger river towns with urban areas such as Portland , Boston , and New York . The number of passenger ships and pleasure craft increased dramatically as the growth of summer resorts became a major seasonal industry .
The rugged coastline and unpredictable waters of Downeast Maine demanded even more protection for seafarers . Lighthouses have lined the Bold Coast for two centuries , and the region contains 1 / 3 of all the lighthouses in Maine ( Maine contains the most lighthouses of any coastal state of a similar size ). These lighthouses remain active today and are visible by land , air , or by sea . Some are owned by the State of Maine or conservation organizations and are directly accessible to the public .
Lighthouses are the most technologically and architecturally significant elements in an extensive system of navigational aids and played critical roles in the growth and development of the maritime transportation network . Downeast Maine ’ s light stations embody a specialized structural form adapted to survive the often-hostile environment of the jagged coastline , open sea , violent storms , dense fog , and large tidal fluctuations .
West Quoddy Head Lighthouse sits on the easternmost point of the continental US and welcomes the day ’ s first rays of sunlight during the spring and fall equinoxes . West Quoddy is one of only two still-standing U . S . lighthouses with red-and-white bands . Established in 1808 , it was one of the first stations to be equipped with a fog bell and , later , a steam whistle . A reliable fog signal was deemed more essential than a light since fog can shroud the Downeast Maine coast for long periods of time during summer months . When approaching the bay in foggy conditions , ships would fire a signal gun to prompt the keeper to start tolling the fog bell .
97