Baker Island Light Station, Historic Structure Report, Acadia National Park, Maine
Yocum BA. 2013. Baker Island Light Station, Historic Structure Report, Acadia National Park, Maine. Historic Structure Report. Historic Structure Research & Documentation Branch Historic Architecture, Conservation & Engineering Center Northeast Region, National Park Service. Northeast Region, National Park Service Lowell, MA
From the document's official abstract: "This Historic Structure Report documents the history and development of the Baker Island Light Station, describes its existing physical appearance, identifies historic character-defining features, and makes general recommendations for treatment. The U.S. Department of Treasury constructed the first light station on Baker Island (then known as “Baker’s” island) in 1828. A newly appointed Light-House Board described these stone structures in 1853 as “entirely worthless” and “old and leaky,” finally replacing them in 1855 with a brick light tower and wood-framed keeper’s dwelling. Other buildings were a boat house, barn, and privy. A brick oil house was added in 1895, a signal station in 1898, a fuel house in 1905, and a watch tower and wood-framed garage around 1942. The U.S. Coast Guard transferred the 10-acre light station to the National Park Service in 1958, not including the light tower. A work room connecting the light tower with the keeper’s dwelling had been demolished by 1965, and a chain-link fence installed around the tower. Only four structures remained by the mid-1970s: the now detached light tower and keeper’s dwelling, oil house, and garage. These were recorded in photographs and drawings by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1976. The National Register of Historic Places listed the light station as part of a thematic nomination in 1987, and individually in 1988 with a defined period of significance of 1855 to 1939. The National Park Service acquired the light tower in 2011, although the U.S. Coast Guard continues to maintain the light as an active aid to navigation. The National Park Service is now considering a lease of these historic buildings, which have sat mostly vacant since the mid-1950s." /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /BAKER ISLAND/
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Yocum, Barbara
- Date of Issue
- 2013
- Publisher
- Historic Structure Research & Documentation Branch Historic Architecture, Conservation & Engineering Center Northeast Region, National Park Service
- Units
- ACAD
- Keywords
- Baker Island, historic building, lighthouse, lighthouse keepers
- Subjects
- CRIS-HS: 041066: Baker Island Light Station - Fuel House (Garage) , CRIS-HS: 005432: Baker Island Light Station - Keeper's House , CRIS-HS: 041068: Baker Island Light Station - Oil House , CRIS-HS: 973552: Baker Island Light Station - Tower