Indian Island Lighthouse
Rockport, Maine
Built in 1850
Location:
Eastern entrance to Rockport Harbor. Grounds and lighthouse are closed to the public as it is a private residence.
Latitude: 44° 09' 57" N
Longitude: 69° 03' 38" W
Historic Stories:
During the French and Indian Wars, the local Native Americans took refuge on the island, which marked the eastern entrance to Rockport Harbor. It later became known as Indian Island.
| As the lime trade brought increasing traffic into Rockport Harbor, Indian Island lighthouse was established in 1850. |  |
However, it was decommissioned only a few years later when the shipping traffic into Rockport did not increase as was expected.
The first keeper of Indian Island light was Silas Piper, who stayed on for three years.
The lighthouse fell into disrepair and shipping traffic began to increase again, causing petitions to have the lighthouse rebuilt in 1874, then relit in January of 1875. As what happened to the original lighthouse, the expected shipping traffic over the years did not increase as hoped, and actually decreased, causing the lighthouse to be decommissioned again in 1932, where it was sold to a private owner in 1933.
Places to Visit:
The lighthouse is located on the east side off Rockport Harbor entrance and can be viewed from a distance from the Rockport Marine Park. Best viewed from schooners and excursion boats out of Rockport and Camden. The Schooner Heron has a special sail around Indian Island.
| The lighthouse can also be viewed from a distance on a hilltop in Rockport. | 
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Visit the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, they exhibit work by 300-400 living artists each year, offering exhibitions, educational programs and professional development workshops.
The Rockport Marine Park provides visitors a glimpse into the lime industry, with old kilns by the waterfront, a replica of a lime transporting locomotive, and a memorial stature of Andre the Seal that was found and raised by a local fisherman.
For more private excursions, Moon Dog Excursions offers cruises on a lobster boat from Rockport Harbor to Camden Harbor to view Curtis Island and Indian Island lighthouses on their Two Harbor tour. They offer Sunrise and Sunset tours, Island Excursions, and Lighthouse and Island Lobster Bakes cruises. For sailing excursions, Blue Yonder Sail Charters provide trips on a 40-foot sloop, the Tammy Norie, around the Vinalhaven and North Haven Islands and around Penobscot Bay.
Camden, a very popular tourist spot, lies a few miles north with its specialty shops and picturesque harbor.
View of Camden Harbor |
Visit Camden Hills State Park where you can hike or drive up to the top of Mount Battie and get a spectacular view of Camden Harbor. |
Directions for a Distant View:
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Although best viewed by boat, you can get a shoreline view from the Rockport Marine Park.
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From US Route 1 North in Rockport, when you see Rocknacs Yacht Sales on your right, take a right onto Main Street.
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Go to the bridge and turn right, then follow along until you see the sign for Rockport Marine Park on your left.
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You can get a clear view of the lighthouse from the parking lot. This lighthouse is privately owned so you can only view it from the shoreline or on a tour boat passing by.
Local Windjammer and Boat Tours
Windjammer cruises and tours mentioned below may offer many types of cruises. Some may pass Indian Island Lightouse as part of their special lighthouse tours, or by special charters, or narrated wildlife tours. The Schooner Heron leaves out of Rockland past Indian Island Lighthouse. Sailing route is weather dependent.
Camden Harbor Cruises
Provides 1-hour Lighthouse Lobster Tour from Camden, and a 3-hour Sunday Lighthouse Cruise aboard a classic wooden motor vessel, the Lively Lady that passes by Indian Island Light.
16 Camden Public Landing,
Box 1315, Camden, ME 04843
Phone: (207) 236-6672
Lighthouses: Curtis Island, Indian Island, Owls Head, Browns Head, Rockland Breakwater
Schooner Heron
Thie 65-foot schooner provides 3 trips each day out of Rockport Harbor including Indian Island Light and Eco Tour.
111 Pascal Avenue, Rockport, ME 04856
Phone: (207) 236-8605
E-mail: heron@midcoast.com
Scenic Flights
Penobscot Island Air
Chartering a variety of lighthouse viewing flights.
Knox County Regional Airport
Owls Head ME 04854
Phone: (207) 596-7500
Cellular: (207) 542-4944
Fax: (207) 596-6870
info@penobscotislandair.net
Books to Explore
Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: This book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in northern New England, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon. Look inside! |
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This self-published book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices. Enjoy a 10% discount on the hardcover version. Printed and distributed globally by IngramSpark. Look inside! |
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 measured longer than a football field! This book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
My 300-page book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses in southern New England, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, and tours. Look inside! |
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