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HISTORY |
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Wood Island Lighthouse has an extensive 200 year history. Those who maintained this maritime beacon were called "keepers." Keepers and their families have lived on Wood Island from its inception in 1808 until 1986 when the light was automated. To learn more visit our CHRONOLOGY PAGE and KEEPER'S PAGE. We are continually researching all subjects having to do with Wood Island and its lighthouse. If you have any information that you would like to share please contact us. |
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In 1806, the US Government purchased 8 acres at the Eastern end of Wood Island in Saco Bay off the coast of what was then Massachusetts and is now the State of Maine. The plans were to build a lighthouse there to help guide mariners into Winter Harbor and to the Saco River. There was a high volume of sea born commerce and many fishing vessels working in this vicinity at this time. By 1808, the lighthouse was a functioning beacon. This octagonal wood structure was sheathed with shingles and stood to a height of 45' from base to floor of the lantern room. It was equipped with a set of hanging spider lamps and an eclipser, which caused the light to be seen as a flashing light. |
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The harsh island environment hastened the demise of the original wooden structure as well as the wood dwelling house. By 1835, fifteen years after this part of Massachusetts became the State of Maine, plans were underway for constructing a new tower and dwelling house out of granite. These plans also required a height of 45 ft. The light was to be supplied by the Winslow Lewis Patent Magnifying and Reflector Lantern that was being installed in most all of the US Lighthouses. This brighter white light continued to flash with the use of the eclipser.
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1857-58 were important years for the Wood Island Lighthouse. The tower was reconstructed to accomodate the new fourth order Fresnel lens and the dwelling house was rebuilt as a 1-1/2 story wooden structure. Though the dwelling house had further changes, today's tower looks like the one finished in 1858.
US Coast Guard photo The early keepers and their families were farmers. In this picture, the barn built by keeper Abraham Norwood circa 1840 is visible along with a pigsty. The keepers had a full time job with their farming during the day and their light keeping at night. |
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Eben Emerson, keeper under President Lincoln, among his normal duties managed to perform a heroic rescue of the entire crew of the Nova Scotia Brig, the Edyth Ann, which foundered and broke up on the rocks off of Wood Island. The British Government cited Keeper Emerson's heroism and awarded him a pair of brass binoculars.
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Thomas Henry Orcutt, a former sea captain and previous keeper at Saddleback Ledge Light served as keeper of Wood Island Light for 19 years (1886-1905). His dog, Sailor, became famous for ringing the station's fog bell by taking the bell cord in his mouth and giving a lusty pull. He was inspired to do this when passing craft sounded their signal. Sailor died in Orcutt's arms a few months before the keeper himself died. It was in this era that there was a murder and suicide on Wood Island, which gave rise to the belief that Wood Island is haunted. Many unexplained events have happened over Wood Island's long history.
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In 1906, the keeper's house was remodeled - the roof was raised and dormers added creating a Dutch Colonial style as seen here. The fog bell tower on the right side of this photo was established in 1873. It takes this form because it was run by a mechanical striking mechanism powered with weights, which had to be raised with a hand crank. The photo on this postcard shows the lighthouse as it looked in the era to which it will be restored.
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| Rescue Of Keeper's Daughter Laurier Burnham with his wife Lily and two children kept the light 1959-1963. A near tragedy occured in 1960. Laurier's two-year-old daughter, Tammy, became seriously ill and it became imperative for her to get to the mainland for medical attention. The seas were high and weather deteriorating on the late afternoon of November 29th. when the Fletcher's Neck Coast Guard boat, a "thirty footer," and its four man crew left the docks at Biddeford Pool for Wood Island to bring the little girl in. They approached as closely as was safe and anchored. The Chief dispatched two of the crew in a small skiff that they had towed out with them. The two 19-year-old seamen made it to the boat ramp on Wood Island and keeper Burnham reluctantly handed over his daughter. The two men set out for the thirty footer with baby in hand. A tremendous swell capsized the small skiff putting Tammy and the seamen into the cold water. In the darkness and fog, neither the Light Station nor the anchored Coast Guard boat knew of the plight of these three people. Raymond Bill took off swimming towards the boat. Chief Kennedy and Engineman Rouleau spotted seamen Bill with their searchlight and got him to safety. Seaman Syvinski hung onto little Tammy even though he sank to the ocean floor several times. He continued to push off the sea floor and finally made it to nearby Negro Island and out of the water onto the rocks. Laurier Burnham now knew the situation and went in search. He made it to Negro Island in his peapod and got Tammy and Syvinski into his boat and back to the thirty footer. Thanks to the brave efforts of seamen Syvinski and Bill, Keeper Burnham, Coast Guard personnel and others, Tammy was safely delivered to the docks and onto the hospital where she fully recuperated. Thirty-three years later the Coast Guard investigated the incident and decided to present awards to Laurier Burnham and Edward Syvinski for their extroaordinary courage. An award was also presented to the widow of lobsterman Preston Alley whom the Coast Guard had determined had been instrumental in the rescue.
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The entire Coast Guard crew visited Tammy in the hospital the very next day.
photo from Burnham family
Laurier Burnham, Ed Syvinski & Raymond Bill photo from Burnham family
Preston Alley photo from Burnham family
In the Late 1960s, the lantern room was removed from Wood Island Lighthouse and a rotating aero beacon was installed. This produced a powerful light and was in use for nearly 20 years. It didn't look like the historic beacon that mainlanders remembered. They referred to it as the "headless" tower.
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