Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park - Bristol, Maine

Address:Bristol Rd Rt 130
Bristol, Maine
Tel: (207) 677-2492

The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse that comes along with nearly 175 years of history. It was first commission by John Quincy Adams in 1827, and was built that year (and then replaced with stronger working materials and better workmanship eight years later). A candle used to light the top of the lighthouse, illuminating a distance of two miles. The long tradition of light-keeping ended in 1934 when the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse became one of the first light stations in Maine to become automated. Now it flashes every six seconds, night and day, sending its light out far beyond the original two miles.

Today, this 34 foot, white, stone and concrete conical structure has become a historical landmark, complete with a park and two museums: the Fishermen's Museum, filled with displays and artifacts exhibiting the maritime history of Bristol, Maine, and the Pemaquid Gallery of Artists, a non-profit group that supports the work of local artists. It is a beloved spot for weddings, family outings, and site-seeing. Guests are even able to rent out a one bedroom apartment in the light keeper's house—a unique vacation idea! The American Lighthouse Foundation and the Friends of Pemaquid Point Lighthouse offer tours of the lighthouse in the afternoons between Memorial Day and Columbus Day. The Fishermen's Museum is also only open in the summer months, but the park is open year-round.

You may recognize the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse from the 2003 Maine Quarter, the first coin in U.S. circulation to feature a lighthouse.

To get to the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park, you take US Route 1 to ME 130 South to Bristol.