Photo Caption:
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During the early years at Eagle Island Lighthouse, the keeper had to row about two miles to nearby Deer Isle for supplies, which, upon his return, had to be unloaded on the beach at a point called Lighthouse Cove and then lugged up a narrow trail to the bluff where the lighthouse stood. If the wind was blowing in the wrong direction or the weather was too bad, they landed at another point on the island and used an even more difficult trail up to the bluff. When the crew of the lighthouse tender delivered the oil supply for the lamps, they would use neck yokes holding five gallon cans on each side and hike up the trail to the lighthouse.
Finally, in 1894, a stairway was built that made the job of bringing oil and other supplies to the lighthouse somewhat easier. But they still had to climb 76 stairs to the top, which, no matter how you look at it, was a long flight of stairs. In this image, Eagle Island Lighthouse keeper Edward Farren is shown at the top of the stairs with his wife and a child awaiting the arrival of some guests. Very little of this stairway remains today. (Ken Strout collection, Lighthouse Digest archives.)
Back to the edition of: May/Jun 2012
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