Cape Neddick Light
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| Cape Neddick Light | |
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 Cape Neddick Lighthouse |
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| Location: | Off Cape Neddick in York Harbor |
| Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS) |
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| Year first constructed: | 1879 |
| Year first lit: | 1878 |
| Automated: | 1987 |
| Foundation: | Concrete |
| Construction: | Cast iron plate with brick lining |
| Tower shape: | cylindrical |
| Markings/Pattern: | white with black lantern |
| Height: | 88 ft (27 m) |
| Original lens: | Fourth order fresnel, 1879 |
| Range: | 13 nm |
| Characteristic: | Isophase Red 6 s. Lighted throughout 24 hours. Emergency light of reduced intensity when main light is extinguished. HORN: 1 blast ev 10s (1s bl). |
The Cape Neddick Lighthouse is a lighthouse located in York, Maine, United States. In 1874 Congress appropriated $15,000 to build a light station at the "Nubble" and in 1879 construction began. Cape Neddick Light Station was dedicated by the US Lighthouse Service and put into use on July 1, 1879[citation needed]. It is still in use today.
When Cape Neddick Lighthouse was first established, plans had been in the works to build a lighthouse on the site since 1837. The tower is lined with brick and sheathed with cast iron. It stands 41 feet (12.5 m) tall but the light is 88 feet (27 m) above sea level because of the additional height of the steep rocky island on which it is located. The stanchions of the walkway railing around the lantern room are decorated with 4-inch (100 mm) brass replicas of the light house itself, though decorations on such utilitarian buildings are rare.
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[edit] Location
The Cape Neddick Lighthouse stands on Nubble Island about 200 yards (180 m) off Cape Neddick Point. The lighthouse is commonly known as Nubble Light or simply, The Nubble. Cape Neddick Point is at the north end of Long Beach in the village of York Beach. The lighthouse is inaccessible to the general public, but the nearby mainland is occupied by Sohier Park which offers a telescope with which to view the lighthouse and a gift shop with a "Nubble" theme.
[edit] Significance
Nubble Light is a famous American icon and a classic example of a lighthouse. The Voyager spacecraft, which carries photographs of Earth’s most prominent manmade structures and natural features should it fall into the hands of intelligent extraterrestrials, includes a photo of Nubble Light with images of the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal.[1]
[edit] Speculative History
Although the origin of the little lighthouse adornments is unknown, there are many other stories about The Nubble. Among them is the story of the keeper and his wife who, in 1912, decided to take advantage of the booming tourist business at the York beaches. They developed a lively business ferrying tourists across to the island and giving tours. The trade grew so lively that the light was neglected and the keeper fired. Another keeper lived on the island with his 19 pound cat who was an attraction in himself, especially when he reputedly swam across the channel to visit mainland friends. It isn’t always summer, though, and another story lends balance to lighthouse living. The Nubble is such a windy spot that in the winter, the wind chill dropped so low that the flow of lamp oil to the incandescent kerosene vapor lamp was impeded. The problem was solved in 1938 when the lamp was electrified. That same year, the keeper and his family also received indoor plumbing.
