Cape Neddick (Nubble) Lighthouse, Maine

On my visit to Portsmouth, New Hampshire last year, which you can read about on this link, my husband and I were taken on a side trip by his co-workers over to Cape Neddick Point, which is at the north end of Long Sands Beach in the village of York Beach, Maine.  There we were able to view this beautiful lighthouse on Nubble Island, called both the Cape Neddick and the Nubble Lighthouse.

I was so excited to have the chance to see this lighthouse, as a photo of it in winter, lighted for Christmas, was my computer's screen saver for many years.  To actually see the lighthouse in person was a memorable treat!

The Nubble Lighthouse station was established in 1879, and the present brick and cast iron lighthouse was built in 1879.  It was automated in 1987, retaining its fourth-order Fresnel lens that was installed in 1928.

The height of the lighthouse tower is 41 feet, but because of the additional height of the steep rocky islet on which it sits, it stands 88 feet above sea level. Nearby are the 1879 keeper's house, built in 1879, the 1902 oil house storage building, and the boathouse, rebuilt in 1978 after a storm destroyed the original one.  When the light was automated in 1987 the last Coast Guard keeper was removed.  In 1998, ownership of the Nubble Lighthouse was given to the Town of York through the Maine Lights Program. In all, the Maine Lights Program was awarded ownership to twenty-eight other Maine lighthouse, all former US Coast Guard properties. More about the history of this well-loved lighthouse can be read on this link.

The lighthouse is not open to the public, but it can be easily viewed from Sohier Park.  I stood at the edge of this park and took a video of the Atlantic Ocean's waves crashing on the shore, the lighthouse on Nubble Island and then the rest of Cape Neddick Point. If you watch my Youtube video you can see the bucket pulley system that was set up to ferry supplies back and forth to the island at one time.
You can watch the video on YouTube at this link. As you can see it is a beautiful place to visit!  Did you see the bucket pulley lines?

photo source



This bucket system, installed in the 1950s, was never intended for the transport of people, but around 1967, Coast Guard keeper at the time, David Winchester, put his two children in the bucket each morning to send them on their way to school. The photo above caused quite a stir when it appeared in newspapers. The district commander saw the photo in a Boston paper and made arrangements to board the children on the mainland during the week. Soon after that, it became policy that families with school-age children were not sent to the Nubble.

An informational placard about the lighthouse in Sohier Park.

I have to admit I was envious of the people who live in this gorgeous house at the beginning of Cape Neddick, as they have a clear view of the lighthouse from their eastern windows. I would love to sit in those Adirondack chairs that I spied in their backyard and stare out at the ocean. I don't think I'd ever tire of that beautiful view!

We also spied a seasonal lobster house nearby that was getting a jump on the Christmas season with this lobster crate Christmas tree in front. They have a webcam on the website of their view of the lighthouse, that you can view on this link.

Although our visit to Maine was very short, we could not leave without having New England clam chowder and a lobster dinner. Both were delicious -- just look at the size of those lobster claws!

As the day ended we drove back to New Hampshire where we were going to leave for New York the next morning. Our last view of Maine was this beautiful sunset.  All of New England is special and we really hope to be able to re-visit these areas again one day.

On the home front, we are still trying to sell our home in Brooklyn. The market has unfortunately been very slow. We live in a very nice middle-class family neighborhood, but it just may be that not many families are looking to buy a house right now, or can't afford one.  If we see that this trend lasts until November we are going to begin packing at that time, even if we don't sell, and leave our house on the market.  We're sure it will take us quite a while to pack, and sell the furniture we are not moving with us, so our timeline is that we probably won't be able to move until the winter.  Driving across the country in winter will be an experience I'm sure! Our granddaughter is due in February so we would like to be in Colorado by the time of her birth and settled. Please keep us in your prayers that all these plans fall into place and that sooner than later our house will sell. It's going to be a big move -- Thanks!

Plus, don't forget to enter the BlogHer and Blue 365 $500 gift card Sweepstakes on my prior post.  I had a lucky winner in the last sweepstakes that was linked to my blog!