Perkins Island Lighthouse
Georgetown, Maine
Built in 1898
Location:
On Perkins Island, along the Kennebec River. Grounds are closed to the public. Best viewed by boat.
Latitude: 43° 47' 13" N
Longitude: 69° 47' 09" W
Historic Stories:
During the 1800s, the only navigational aids on the Kennebec River were those maintained by the Kennebec Steamboat Company, using lanterns at turning points and other difficult parts of the river. However, during harsh weather or foggy nights these small lights could barley be seen. In 1892 alone, a total of 3,137 vessels were counted entering the river, excluding the large passenger steamships that covered the river daily.
| The first lighthouse on the river, Perkins Island light, was finally built in 1898 after many petitions. | 
Perkins Island Light |
Life on Perkins Island was generally quiet, except for some occasional excitement. J. W. Haley, the keeper from 1911 to 1927, was praised in 1916 for having saved a man whose rowboat was swamped. The boat was filled with lumber, and Haley saved most of the cargo as well.
Keeper Eugene Osgood received an official commendation from the Secretary of Commerce for his rescue efforts on June 16, 1931. On that day he was leaving Perkins Island Lighthouse to pick up his mail in Phippsburg. He happened to see a man struggling in the currents from being thrown from his rowboat. Osgood quickly launched his own boat and was able to successfully rescue the man.
Another incident happened when Keeper Osgood heard a signal bell and cries of help during a fierce storm. Setting out in the station boat, he located a party of nineteen people, whose boat had grounded in the storm, and managed to get them all back to the lighthouse, where Mrs. Osgood dried them out and fed them.
In late 2000, a restoration of the bell tower took place and in 2006, the Friends of Perkins Island chapter members worked to restore the keeper's house.
Places to Visit Nearby:
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The Maine Maritime Museum, along Route 209, preserves many of Maine’s maritime artifacts and archives, dating back to 1607. |
The museum and various Kennebec River boat tours out of Boothbay Harbor pass the lighthouse.
| Best views of the lighthouse are from these cruises. |  |
Both Phippsburg and Parker Village are quiet fishing communities where you can view the lighthouse across the Kennebec River. If you can find a place to park your car it's a nice walk along the river. If you continue south about ten miles you'll come to Popham State Park, with it's long curvy clean beaches and beautiful scenery of islands popping out of the sea. It remains as one of the most beautiful beaches in Maine.
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At the beginning of the beach is Fort Popham nearby for visitors to explore. |
Reid State Park in Georgetown, is a family beach and a haven for naturalists.
Driving Directions for a Distant View
- Although this light is best viewed by the many boat cruises, it can be seen from a distance across the Kennebec River.
- From US Route 1, in Bath, Maine, take Route 209 South towards Phippsburg.
- Continue along for about ten miles till you see the Phippsburg Post Office.
- Take a left by the Phippsburg General Store and gas station onto Parker Head Road, which will take you along the river through little Parker Village.
- When you come to a small bridge you will first see the Squirrel Point Lighthouse across the river.
- Continue for another four miles, and as you descend down the bottom of a hill, you will see Perkins Island Light from across the river. You'll need to park on the side of the road to photograph it with a long lens, or view with binoculars.
Contact Info:
Friends of Perkins Island
American Lighthouse Foundation
P.O. Box 565
Rockland, ME 04841
Local Boat Tours
Boat cruises mentioned below offer many types of cruises. While some may offer specific lighthouse cruises that pass by Perkins Island Lighthouse, some will pass by the lighthouse as part of charters, narrated wildlife and historic tours, and other types of excursions.
Maine Maritime Museum
Frequent lighthouse tours along the Kennebec River during the summer months. Lots of indoor and outdoor historical maritime exhibits, including the only surviving shipyard that built some of the largest wooden sailing vessels.
243 Washington Street
Bath, ME 04530
Phone: (207) 443-1316
Fax: (207) 443-1665
Cap'n Fish's Whale Watch and Scenic Nature Cruises
Includes lighthouses along the Kennebec River and Boothbay Harbor.
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
(207)-633-3244
(207)-633-2626
Or toll free 1-800-636-3244
River Run Tours
Chartered pontoon boat for lighthouse excursions.
River Run Tours, Inc.
28 Walnut Point
Woolwich, Maine 04578
(207) 504-BOAT(2628)
Maine Experience Guide Service
For those who prefer private chartered tours, join Captain Jay Farris and his crew as they provide personal lighthouse tours to nine lighthouses in the Boothbay and Kennebec River regions, including Perkins Isand Light. There is also an extended tour of eleven lighthouses. Narrated tours allow visitors to view these beacons by boat, or hike to some. As part of these tours you'll learn about and may be able to view seals, porpoises, occasional whales, many marine birds, bald eagles, working lobstermen, post card fishing villages, an old War of 1812 fort, 3 historic rivers, vast beaches, and some coastal islands.
Captain Jay Farris
23 Commercial St.
Bath ME 04530
Phone: (207) 215-3828
My 300-page book (with over 360 images), Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon. Look inside! |
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