Eagle Island Originally published in Island Ad-Vantages, August 25, 2022 Eagle Island Light hosts annual open house

It was beautiful day for an open house at the lighthouse on Eagle Island in Penobscot Bay off Deer Isle.

Seventy-five people traveled to Eagle Island for the annual lighthouse open house on Sunday, August 7, according to the Eagle Light Caretakers, the nonprofit organization that is the custodian of Eagle Island Light.

About half of the visitors came by the mailboat Katherine that operates seasonally out of Sylvester Cove. The rest came by their own boat and anchored off the beach at the north end of the island. The lighthouse was open, as was the wooden bell tower plus the island school house.

The Eagle Light Caretakers are undertaking a third and final phase of restoration of Eagle Island Light this fall. To this point, two phases have been completed over the last six years by Jim Leslie and Co., a Berwick lighthouse restoration expert with over 15 Maine lights to his credit. This final phase will focus on the interior of the tower, particularly the refinishing of the revolving cast iron stairway from the door to the lantern house.

Eagle Island Light has been in continuous use as an aid to navigation since it was built in 1837. The light was automated in 1959 and the light keeper house was demolished by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1963. More historical and restoration information and photos can be viewed on the Eagle Light Caretakers’ website, eagleislandlight.com.