What Is the Squirrel Point Light Station?
This was the first of four historic lighthouses on the Kennebec River!
What Makes It Historical?
In 1717, a century before Maine and Massachusetts became separate states, Governor Samuel Shute made a trip up the Kennebec River to Newtown then ran aground on the way back! His unlucky ship, The Squirrel, then gave its name to this point and demonstrated that if this river was to become a commercial lifeline for the city of Bath, there’d need to be better guidance around its hazards! However, until 1895, that guidance consisted of nothing more than lights hung from buoys!
After the Light House Board reported in 1892 that 3,137 cargo vessels and 232,150 passengers had traveled the Kennebec in that year alone, President Grover Cleveland convinced Congress to allocate $4,650 (over $188,000 today) toward getting real, honest-to-gosh lighthouses installed along the Kennebec River. Starting with Squirrel Point to serve Phippsburg, the collection grew to include the Perkins Island, Kennebec River Range, and Doubling Point Lights, each built identically from the same master plan! At Squirrel Point, the light tower, barn, and keeper’s house went up first in 1898, joined by a boathouse in 1901 and an oil house in 1906! George Matthews was the first lighthouse keeper from 1898 until 1912, and the last was Joseph Robicheau whose family left after the lighthouse was automated in 1979. The 5th Order Fresnel Lens was given to the museum at Portland Head Light!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer with the Citizens for Squirrel Point!
- Donate to the Citizens for Squirrel Point!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
Park and begin the 0.7-mile hike at:
598 Bald Head Rd
Arrowsic, ME 04530
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
You can walk around the light station any time you like, but to access the buildings, you’ll need to wait for Maine Open Lighthouse Day on the first Saturday of September!
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