Owls Head Lighthouse

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Owls Head Light

(Owls Head, Maine)

Built in 1826, Owls Head light is located on a promontory south of Rockland Harbor in Penobscot Bay. Although only a short, stubby, 20 feet tall, the lighthouse is situated on a hill that places it about 100 feet above the water.

The lighthouse shines a fixed white light through a fourth order Fresnel Lens that can be seen up to 16 nautical miles away. Being a region prone to fog, the light is equipped with a powerful fog signal.

A story is often told of Augustus Hamer's dog's contribution to the keeper's duties. Augustus Hamer was the keeper in the 1930s. The dog, Spot, was trained by the keeper to pull on the fog bell’s rope whenever his keen hearing heard a boat approaching. Once when the rope was buried in the snow, Spot couldn't ring the bell so he instead barked continuously until he heard the boat's whistle beyond the rocks. The boat was the Matinicus mailboat heading to the Rockland Harbor.

Owls Head Light is located in the scenic Owl’s Head State Park on an active Coast Guard facility. To get there follow Route 73 south from Rockland to N. Shore Drive. Follow this for about 2.5 miles and turn left just past the Owl’s Head post office onto Main Street then Lighthouse Road. Signs guide you to the lighthouse.

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