Grindle Point Lighthouse
Islesboro, Maine
Built in 1851
Location:
At the boat landing dock on Islesboro Island, marking the entrance to Gilkey Harbor in upper Penobscot Bay. Privately owned but the grounds are open to the public.
Latitude: 44° 16' 56" N
Longitude: 68° 56' 34" W
Historic Stories:
Grindle Point Lighthouse overlooks the entrance to Gilkey Harbor. It was originally built in 1851 and was replaced in 1874. Its first keeper was Rufus Dunning, then Francis Grindle became the new keeper in 1853. He was known as a master meriner and had spent many years at sea. Nelson Gilkey, who also served as the island's local postmaster and town clerk, became the keeper from 1861 to 1869. His older brother, Avery Gilkey, was given the duties of tending the light in 1872. However, he was not as attentive as his younger brother and was written up in one of the reports from an inspector to the station, causing his removal later that year.
| The lighthouse tower is 32 feet tall and is constructed in a unique pyramidal shape. |
Vintage Image |
Keeper James Hall, who had spent years previously at Matinicus Rock, was transferred to Grindle Point Light in 1908. He was killed in 1916 from a rock blasting accident at Grindle Point.
Willam C. Dodge, who became keeper in 1921 into 1934, had a collie for many of those years named Tray who was taught to sound the fog bell by pulling the rope with his teeth whenever a boat passed by the beacon.
The light was deactivated in 1934, and replaced with a nearby skeleton tower. The keeper’s house was converted to the Sailor’s Memorial Museum in the late 1930’s for international tourism.
In 1987 the lighthouse was relit using a solar powered optic.
Places to Visit Nearby:
| The Maine State Ferry leaves from Lincolnville Beach in the small artisan town of Lincolnville. | 
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The ferry allows you to bring a car onto Islesboro Island, so you to explore and enjoy the shoreline views.
You can walk alongside this lighthouse and hike or bike the 13-mile long picturesque island of Islesboro. The Sailor’s Memorial Museum next to the lighthouse is open during the summer season.
| There is also a public beach, more roads for biking, and trails for hiking the area, or just relax and watch the boats go by. |  |
The fishing village of Dark Harbor, allows you to relax and stop back in time at the Dark Harbor Store and have some ice cream.
For those who want a true rustic camping experience, you can leave the Islesboro island and travel by kayak or canoe to nearby Warren Island State Park. There are only ten campsites (with no amenities) available at a time so call ahead for reservations.
Directions:
| The lighthouse can be reached by Maine state ferry from Lincolnville Beach, about 5 miles north of Camden on US Route 1, which docks right next to the lighthouse. | 
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Contact Info:
Grindle Point Light Station Committee
P.O. Box 76
Islesboro, ME 04848
Phone: (207) 734-0913
Email: info@grindlelight.com
Local Boat Tours
Boat cruises and ferries mentioned below offer many types of cruises, including other specific lighthouse cruises, narrated wildlife and historic tours, and ferrying passengers. Enjoy!
Maine State Ferry Service
Islesboro Terminal
Islesboro, Maine 04848-0011
Phone: (207) 734-6935
Ferry from Lincolnville to Islesboro
Takes you to Islesboro Island where you can visit the lighthouse right near the dock.
P.O. Box 214
Lincolnville, Maine 04849-0214
Phone:. (207) 789-5611
Camden Harbor Cruises
For those who enjoy narrated tours, in addition to eco and lobster hauling tours, and various lighthouse tours out of Camden, there is also a Grindle Point Lighthouse Excursion on Sunday afternoons, where visitors depart to Islesboro Island, and explore the lighthouse grounds, and adjoining Sailor's Museum.
16 Camden Public Landing,
Box 1315, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (207) 236-6672
Books to Explore
Available in paperback, hard cover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were the ten original six-masted coal schooners and one colossal seven-masted vessel, built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! This book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases stories that include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in the northern states, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special vacation. Look inside! |
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