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A major effort started this past autumn to save Maine’s Doubling Point Range Lights. Although they may not look like typical lighthouses, since 1898 they have played a major role in guiding shipping on a treacherous section of the Kennebec River where it makes a 90 degree turn. Because of their location, they are also referred to as the Kennebec River Range Lights.
They were built to operate in conjunction with the other Kennebec River lighthouses leading to Bath, known as the City of Ships, where even to this day large naval ships are still being built at Bath Iron Works. Additionally, tourists are drawn to the city’s 19th Century architectural buildings and the fabulous Maine Maritime Museum.
The restoration comes none too soon for the Doubling Point Range Lights as the towers have suffered from a combination of age and improper care caused years ago when the Coast Guard made attempts to waterproof the structures, which actually trapped water within the walls of the wooden structures that then caused the wood to rot.
The initial start of the project to save the range lights was the restoration of the rear range light tower, which was required to remain operational during the work. But the front range light is also in danger, and funds are in short supply.
The Range Light Keepers, the nonprofit group that owns the lighthouse, are desperately in need of additional funds to complete the restoration. If you can help, donations can be mailed to:
Range Light Keepers
58 Iron Mine Rd.
Arrowsic, ME 04530
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2017 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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