Bear Island Light, Mt. Desert Island, Me. 378

Bear Island Light, Mt. Desert Island, Me. 378

"Bear Island Light, Mt. Desert Island, Me." Bear Island Light, Lighthouse, Rocky Coast, Waterfront, Town Building Bear Island Light The Bear Island light is on one of the Cranberry Islands at the Somes Sound entrance on Mt. Desert Island. There, coasting vessels and fishing boats often rode out storms, making Bear Island a logical site for a light. A single structure, a wooden tower attached to a stone house, was built in 1839. John G. Bowen was the first keeper. A political appointee, Bowen was dismissed in 1842, allegedly for "interference in elections, both under the late and present administrations." He was back in 1844, and again ousted in 1848. He returned a third time in 1853, the year a new brick tower replaced the old one, which had been damaged by fire. Bowen's successor's children had the advantage of attending school on the island, with enough children between two resident families for the island to be designated a school district in 1856. Students attended the school until 1871 and again in the 1880s. In 1889-90 a new 31-foot light tower, house, and barn were built; a boathouse and oil house were added later. Bear Island light was discontinued in the 1981, replaced by a lighted bell buoy. The buildings are on Acadia National Park land but are privately owned. "Bear Island Light - This is the current station, photographed from the coal dock, which was built in 1884 and taken out of service in 1946. Notice that the house is brown in this picture, not white. This dates this to pre-WWI." --Willie Granston, 2011 Bear Island stands at the entrance to Mt. Desert Island's Somes Sound. Coasting vessels and fishing boats often rode out storms there, making Bear Island a logical site for a light. The first light, built in 1839, was a wooden tower attached to a stone house. By 1888 the buildings had badly deteriorated and were torn down. Soon the new 31-foot cylindrical light tower and gambrel-roof keeper's house seen here and a barn were built; a boathouse and oil house were added later. Bear Island's proximity to Northeast Harbor offered some advantages for keepers and their families. Bear Island was designated a Northeast Harbor school district in 1856, and resident children attended school on the island during periods in the late 1800s. In 1899 telephone service between Bear Island and Northeast Harbor began. However, the keepers never had electrical power. Bear Island light was deactivated in 1981, replaced by a lighted bell buoy. The National Park Service owns the island and buildings, and in 1989 the Friends of Acadia rebuilt the lighthouse as a private aid to navigation. The keeper's house is leased as a private residence.