Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse occupies a dramatic headland at the southern tip of the Pemaquid Peninsula in Bristol, Maine, where the Atlantic Ocean crashes against fractured metamorphic rock that ripples in waves of grey and white across the shore. Built in 1835, the 38-foot conical white tower is one of the most reproduced images of the Maine coast and was depicted on the Maine state quarter issued in 2003. The lighthouse stands within Pemaquid Point Light Park, a small park managed by the town of Bristol, and is attached to the original 1857 keeper's dwelling, which now houses the Fishermen's Museum — a collection of fishing equipment, photographs, and marine artifacts documenting the history of Maine's coastal fishing communities. The rocky ledges extending from the base of the lighthouse toward the water are the visual heart of the site; visitors pick their way across the textured geological formations to reach viewpoints close to the surf. The most photographed angle frames the tower against the striped rock and open ocean — best achieved in late afternoon or at sunset when golden light illuminates the white tower from the southwest. A small art gallery operates in the oil house adjacent to the lighthouse. Grounds admission ($4 cash or card at the gate) is collected from late spring through early fall; the grounds are open year-round at all other times. The site is located about 1.5 hours from Portland via Route 1 and Route 130, near the village of New Harbor in Mid-Coast Maine.