Located on Arrowsic Island, Maine.
“The river not only has the sea fogs, which extend to Bath, but its own river fog or mist, which is dense and at times low down. On dark nights it is sometimes impossible to tell where the water ends and the shore begins.“
-Annual Report of the Lighthouse Board, 18921
This description of the weather on the Kennebec River matched the day we visited Squirrel Point Light in early May. It was wet and misty. In other words, a perfectly spooky Maine day that would make Stephen King proud.
Getting to the lighthouse was its own mysterious adventure. We followed Arrowsic road (Rte 127) out of Woolrich. We knew we were looking for Bald Head Road but we weren’t paying too much attention to the road signs because we expected to see some kind of marker directing us to our destination. There was no sign saying “Lighthouse This Way” like there is with almost every other mainland Maine lighthouse. It wasn’t until we were well past our turn that we realized we needed go back and pay attention to the road signs.
Spring Point Trail
We followed Bald Head Road for approximately 1.7 miles until it turned into a dirt road. We followed the unpaved road for another 2.2 miles until we came to what looked like a parking area with a trail continuing into the woods, but again, no signage. We started down the trail assuming it was the right way. It wasn’t until we got about 20 yards in that we saw our first indication that Squirrel Point Light was nearby. Two laminated paper signs mounted on a post told us we were on the right path.
The trail itself started off wide and flat. A well maintained bridge took us across a marshy part of the hike. The trail quickly narrowed and went uphill through a beautifully wooded area. After 15 or so minutes we reached a clearing near the water and could see the town Phippsburg across the Kennebec river. A few yards later, we saw our goal: a small lighthouse perched on the sloping bank stood watch over the foggy river.
Squirrel Point Lighthouse and Buildings
Squirrel Point Light is not attached to the keeper’s house. The lightkeeper’s home and barn are up the hill with the brick fuel house set far from the structure a bit further down the point. The most unique outbuilding on Squirrel Point is the boathouse. The roof ridge and eaves of the structure follow the riverbank’s steep angle down to the water while the windows and doors are straight up and down. At first glance it looks like the boathouse is launching itself into the river.
Squirrel Point Lighthouse was built in 1898 as a simple octagonal frame building. The gallery and railing were added around the lantern in 1899, and a bell house with 1000 pound bell was added to the tower in 19022.
History
By the 1850’s, Bath, Maine had become known as “The City of Ships” and was an important ship building port and busy trading center. The Kennebec River was its gateway to the world. However the Kennebec was difficult to navigate and up until the late 1890’s the only system of navigation was lights hung on buoys by the Kennebec Steamship Company and local towboat owners.
Finally a network of integrated navigation lights was established: Kennebec River Range Lights, Doubling Point Light, Perkins Light, and Squirrel Point Light. All were built from the same master plans and share many of the same characteristics including Victorian style keeper’s quarters, boathouses, and frame barns.3
The lighthouse lantern was automated in 1979 and still operates as a navigational aid maintained by the US Coast Guard.
Squirrel Point Lighthouse and its grounds were deeded to a private organization in 1996 which required that they use it for public benefit and maintain the property as required by the National Historic Preservation Act. That organization failed to do so, and the deed was transferred to a new organization, the Citizens of Squirrel Point, in 2005.
The Citizens of Squirrel Point have been restoring the lighthouse and outbuildings, maintaining access, and working to share the history of this historic lighthouse with the public. Donations can be made to the Citizens of Squirrel Point Light from their website.
About the Painting
My previous two paintings, Little Mark Island Day Marker and Ram Island Lighthouse were looser and more expressive. There was something about this tiny lighthouse that made me want to spend more time capturing certain details. I wanted to illustrate the weather-beaten nature of the roof and foundation. I also emphasized the bright green grass of early spring growing among the still dormant bushes that had yet to waken from their winter nap. The seaweed lapping up against the rocks shows just how close the lighthouse is to the water, as the Kennebec fog obscures the opposite bank of the river.
The painting itself is 16″x12″ gouache on panel-mounted rag paper.
The original painting and prints are available through my online gallery, fineartnewengland.com.