Halfway Rock Light Station, South Harpswell Maine

Date added: August 15, 2024

Categories:
Maine
Lighthouse

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Halfway Rock Light Station, which occupies a shallow rock ledge in Casco Bay, was established in 1871 to mark this dangerous position in a very heavily trafficked approach to Portland.

The 1867 Report of the Light-House Board states that " … an estimate of appropriation required to mark with a light-house this dangerous rock was submitted to Congress at its last session … " It was not until 1869, however, that construction of the light was authorized and an appropriation of $50,000 made for it. The station was made operational on August 15^th, 1871, by which time the boathouse and slip were completed. In 1888 a pyramidal skeleton bell tower was added to the site; in 1889 a new boathouse was built. An oil house was constructed on a pyramidal skeleton frame in 1890, and a fog signal was established before 1905. The light was automated in 1975.

Site Description

Standing on a rock outcropping in Casco Bay, the Halfway Rock Light Station, built in 1871, is composed of a tall tapered granite tower connected to a boathouse. The complex formerly had a skeleton fog horn tower, an elevated pyramidal oil house, a second boathouse, and a fog signal.

The Halfway Rock light tower rises to a height of nearly sixty-six feet from its base to the middle of its prominent lantern. Its quarry-faced granite shaft is punctuated by a vertical row of four windows on both the north and south faces, and a single window in the west side. The base is crowned by a molded granite cornice that is capped by a steel deck and railing. The interior stair leads into the cast iron base that supports the lantern. A door opens off of this base onto the deck surmounting the tower. From here a ladder rises to the narrow walkway which enframes the twelve-sided lantern and its dome shaped iron roof. The tower contains within its walls the keeper's house and storage facilities.

Projecting from the north face of the tower the boathouse is a rectangular brick building. Small windows punctuate each side elevation and a door, formerly sheltered by a narrow shed roofed vestibule, is positioned on the west elevation. A boat slip extends from the gable end of the building.