Quoddy Head State Park
| Quoddy Head State Park | |
| Maine State Park | |
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West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and Quoddy Narrows, with Grand Manan Island, Canada, visible in the background
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Maine |
| County | Washington |
| Town | Lubec |
| Elevation | 39 ft (12 m) [1] |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. [1] |
| Area | 541 acres (219 ha) |
| Established | 1962 [2] |
| Management | Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry |
| IUCN category | V - Protected Landscape/Seascape |
  Location in Maine
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| Website: Quoddy Head State Park | |
Quoddy Head State Park is a state park located four miles off Maine State Route 189 in Lubec, Maine on the easternmost point of land in the continental United States. On its 541 acres (219 ha), purchased by the state in 1962, the park features 5 miles (8 km) of hiking trails, extensive forests, two bogs, diverse habitat for rare plants, and the striking, red-and-white striped lighthouse tower of West Quoddy Head Light.[2][3]
In 1808, West Quoddy Head Light became the easternmost lighthouse in the United States. Its light and fog cannon warned mariners of Quoddy's dangerous cliffs, ledges, and Sail Rock. Among the first to use a fog bell and later a steam-powered foghorn, this lighthouse greatly reduced shipwrecks in this foggy area, even as shipping increased. In 1858, the present red-and-white tower replaced the original. Monitored and serviced by the United States Coast Guard, its light still shines through its original third-order Fresnel lens. After automation in 1988, the light station became part of adjacent Quoddy Head State Park. The tower is closed, but visitors are welcome to enjoy the lighthouse grounds and explore the visitor center and museum run by the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association.
For a few weeks around the equinoxes, West Quoddy Head is the first location in the United States to see the sunrise.[4]
Gallery
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Line2848 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
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Line2823 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg
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West Quoddy Head Light - closeup.jpg
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West Quoddy Head Light - western front of building.jpg
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Quoddy Head State Park. |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to West Quoddy Head Light. |
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Analysis by Blanton C. Wiggin, published in the January 1972 issue of Yankee magazine.
External links
- Quoddy Head State Park Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
- Quoddy Head State Park Map Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
- West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association
