Whitlocks Mill Lighthouse
Calais, Maine
Built in 1910
Location:
South bank of the St. Croix River. Private residence and very well enforced. There is a turnout beforehand where you can get a fine view of the lighthouse.
Latitude: 45° 09' 46" N
Longitude: 67° 13' 39" W
Historic Stories:
Calais was an important lumbering port in the late 19th century. In 1892, a lantern was used on a tree with the help of an appointed local mill operator, Mr. Whitlock, to guide local mariners entering the St. Croix River.
Later, Whitlocks Mill Lighthouse was established in 1910 and is one of Maine’s youngest lighthouses.
| Its location makes it the northernmost lighthouse in New England. |
Early Whitlocks Mill Light |
The first light was built in 1892 and replaced in 1901. The interior is distinctively lined with white ceramic-faced brick.
Keeper Jasper Cheney was transferred from the remote foggy station of Libby Island Light to the Whitlocks Mill Light in 1949. Beforehand, his family was living onshore as Libby Island was a stag station of only men. The new appointment allowed him to have his family with him at the station, on the mainland, all year round. His family spent much time planting flowers and decorating the station and grounds for visitors to enjoy.
The quarters are now a private home, but the lighthouse is still operational. Located in south bank, St. Croix River.
Places to Visit Nearby:
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Traveling up Route 1 from Lubec towards Calais, you’ll find an odd site where someone has decorated sticks and logs to create a colony of “Log People.” |
You can appreciate the amount of work that went into this creation.
Calais is primarily a shopping enter for the area and boasts a warm relationship with its sister town over the Canadian border, St. Steven, where even holidays are mutually celebrated. It is the eighth busiest port of entry into the United States.
If you want to take a break from shopping, visit the Downeast Heritage Museum to understand the local culture here, or take a nature hike in the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.
The lighthouse is best viewed from a nearby rest area, as it is a private residence and any visitors are not welcome. They have a very grump dog to make sure no one visits.
Directions:
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About three miles east of Calais on Route 1, you can see the lighthouse from a small dirt road on the right.
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You can also view it from the St. Croix River View Rest Area on Route 1 in Calais from the south direction.
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Trees may obstruct this view in the summer.
Contact Info:
St. Croix Historical Society
P.O. Box 242
Calais, Maine 04619
Phone: (207) 454-2604
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