It's Bill, 9/7/25: Local Lighthouses
- Desmond Haskell
- Sep 7, 2025
- 3 min read
Travelers Flock to West Quoddy Head
Travelers and guests come to West Quoddy Head for many reasons: the Easternmost Point, first sunrise, hiking, birding, whale watching, visiting relatives, peace and serenity, and unspoiled nature.
The Must-See Lighthouses
The one thing they all try to do is to see our four classic lighthouses. In the US, there is West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and the Lubec Channel Lighthouse. Campobello, Canada, offers Mulholland Lighthouse and East Quoddy Head Lighthouse.
West Quoddy Head Lighthouse: An Icon
West Quoddy Head Lighthouse is Maine’s iconic lighthouse, immortalized by Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post magazine cover. The lighthouse stands tall at the edge of West Quoddy Head on the Easternmost Point in the continental United States. This distinctive circa-1859 lighthouse proudly stands out with its bold, alternating 8-foot-wide red and white candy stripes.
Throughout all seasons, travelers from all over the United States and the world view the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse at this extraordinary scenic site. Many visitors gather just before dawn to witness the first sunrise in the United States. To me, it is nature’s silent religious experience.
The Lubec Channel Light – A Sparkplug with a Surprise
The Lubec Channel Light was constructed in 1890 to guide boats through the winding Lubec Channel into Lubec Harbor and Johnson Bay. It’s nicknamed the “Sparkplug” because its shape is identical to its namesake. It is even more remarkable with the 20-foot-plus low tides.
At extreme lows, it seems almost possible to walk from Mowry Beach over the clam flats to the Sparkplug and touch it. Not quite, as I once found out. After almost a mile walk, the tide came in over my ankles faster than I could walk. The learning curve quickly set in.
Mulholland Lighthouse – Seals and Stories
Mulholland Lighthouse, circa 1880, sits on a point in Campobello directly across from Lubec’s harbor, a few hundred yards away, and the entrance to Johnson Bay. Eastport is a few miles further. It’s an excellent place to watch seals feeding on small fish as the tide changes. They stay in the strong current with their mouths awaiting dinner to float in.
Part of FDR International Park, there is a fine display about seals in a small outbuilding. A favorite memory: a few years ago, we watched a full eclipse over Lubec with the lighthouse in the foreground while we picnicked with sandwiches, fruit, and bubbly.
East Quoddy Lighthouse – A Walk to Remember
Canadians call it Head Harbour Lighthouse. In the US, we call it East Quoddy Lighthouse. Erected in 1829, it is strikingly photographic—a tall, white structure located on a second islet at the northern end of Campobello. You can’t miss it: white with a bold red St. George’s Cross painted on it, surrounded by several outbuildings.
You can drive out to the end of Route 774 and get a fine view from the parking area. Better yet, between two hours before and two hours after mean low tide, you may walk out there, maybe even going up in the lighthouse. You’ll go down a metal stairway on the mainland, cross on a low tide sandbar, up a stairway on an islet, then cross the islet to a bridge which connects to the lighthouse islet. Wonderful views all the way.
I’ve seen whales fluking, seals swimming, eagles flying. You’ll never forget it.
