Cape Neddick Lighthouse, also known as the Nubble Lighthouse, is located in York Beach, ME. The requests for a light station on the "Nubble" began in 1807. Approval for the light station was made by Congress in 1874, after numerous boating accidents. 1879 Cape Neddick light was built and started operating in July of 1879. The tower stands 41 feet tall (39' to the center of the lantern) and is 88 feet above the ocean. The red beacon of the Nubble flashes at 6 second intervals and can be seen from 13 nautical miles away. The tower is made of cast iron which is lined with brick. Surrounding the tower is a railing that is supported by 12 posts, each being topped with a small cast iron lighthouse. There are conflicting stories over the original color of the tower, some say red some say brown. It was repainted its current color of white in 1902. In 1911 the walkway that connects the home to the tower was constructed so that during bad weather the keeper could access the tower without going outside. A bell tower was constructed in 1911 and was later replaced by a fog horn in 1961. The horn is activated by the weather and will sound during rainy and foggy periods. In 1950 the Coast Guard repainted the red house (where a generator is housed) to white. Many people complained and it was repainted its original red color again. In 1977, NASA sent artifacts into space on board the Voyager II. Among the artifacts that were to teach the extraterrestrial about us was a picture of the Nubble Light. On July 13, 1987 the lighthouse became automated and the last Lighthouse Keeper of the Nubble, Russell Ahlgrea, moved out. The house is no longer occupied. The town of York obtained ownership of the lighthouse on December 15, 1997. Although the town maintains the property and owns the island, the beacon itself is still maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1989 the Historical Preservation Commission restored the building and replaced the two smaller windows at the top of the building with one large one, which was how the house was originally built.

This distant photo was taken to show the garden, now bare for the winter, the back corner of the restaurant, the rocky coastline and the Nubble Light. To see some other great photos of the garden click here.

Lighthouse Restaurant & Gift Shop   Come and visit the Lighthouse Restaurant & Gift shop. This is where I work. It is a 250 seat restaurant that is located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean in York Beach, Maine. The restaurant has a great view of the Nubble Light. For those of you that don't know the Nubble Light, it is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the U.S.