Digest>Archives> October 2001

The Ghost at Seguin Light Station

By William O. Thomson

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Sketches by Melissa Pelletier

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Seguin Island Light Station dates back to 1795. It became one of Maine’s most important light stations as a result of the heavy schooner traffic going up and down the Kennebec and Sheepscott rivers. It is one of the oldest light stations along the coast, as well the highest above sea level, and has the distinction of being at one of the foggiest location of all coastal lighthouses. The fog horn is activated about 68 days per year.

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The island of Seguin is about 1/2 mile long and from the air the land mass looks like a large turtle. The coves resemble paws and a head. A once wooded island, now mostly barren, the setting is all here for a haunting.

The first question is, what is a haunting or what is a ghost? The simple answer is, nobody knows. No one has ever been able to sit a ghost down and ask questions of it. No one can predict exactly when a ghost will appear and it is almost impossible to photograph one. But, we do know ghosts appear, are seen, are heard, can be felt and can be smelled.

The history of ghosts is almost as old as the history of man and has always been a giant puzzle. Ghosts usually inhabit the place where they died. A modern day theory ties them into the energy source that is left behind at the time of death. Death usually occurred by violent means, a suicide, murder, violence, drowning or some weird accident. It now seems the aura or a form of electric energy remains behind and a sensitive person, someone who has tuned into the frequency, can pick up this charge. This energy source now appears as a ghost or a thought projection in the sensitive person’s mind, almost like turning on a TV.

As kids we all remember large vacant mansions with broken windows and doors falling off. These were excellent places for ghostly haunts. Many of these old haunts were near abandoned graveyards, and this is where the ghost stories were imagined. We could tune in the rushing wind, creaking blinds, bangs, groans, slams and whatever else we wanted to hear. As the imagination took over it became a tale of strength and endurance as to how long we would stay. Most of us were on the run long before we became possessed. This is how a lot of people still look at ghosts, but the sane and sound people who have had a ghostly experience know much different.

Seguin Lighthouse Station is one of the coastal light stations that have reports of ghostly hauntings. A ghost or ghosts still roam the island and have made many visits, and have been seen and heard many times over by various keepers.

Folklore and legend tell of a reported suicide and murder on the island in the mid 1800’s. Supposedly a keeper had killed his wife and himself. The death was extremely violent, as an ax had been used to destroy both he and his mate. The suicide/murder had taken place because it seems his wife played the same tune on a piano, over and over, sometimes for hours without a break. The poor captain’s normal everyday pace went haywire. His sanity turned to insanity as his fine tuning snapped. He destroyed the piano, his wife and himself with his ax. It has been reported by passing ships that on quiet nights that same monotonous tune can be heard trickling over the still waves. Does he or his wife still roam the island?

You may think this is far fetched, but not according to the Coast Guard personnel that occupied the island in the 1970’s and 80’s. From talking to these different occupants I have found some interesting stories. One boatswain mate tells of several encounters. The ghost, or Old Captain as he is referred to, makes himself right at home. He has been sighted many times climbing the narrow, winding, iron spiral stairway leading to the top of the tower.

Could the old man, slickers and all, be still trying to service the light? The old captain has been seen standing behind one of the keepers as a checkers game was underway. The sound of a bouncing ball, similar to a basketball has been heard coming from the upstairs bedroom. When an investigation took place, nothing could be found. Cold spots have brushed by some of the men when they have been polishing the brass or doing other maintenance work. Pea jackets have been taken off hooks and thrown on the floor. Tools have been misplaced for no reason at all and then reappear later in the same area they were discovered missing.

The keepers I have talked to have also sighted a young girl running up and down the stairs. She has waved to the men on several occasions and some have heard her laughter. It has been reported that a young girl died on the island and her parents buried her near the generator house. It is very possible we have two separate apparitions on the island, the old captain and the little girl.

A very interesting area on this island is the landmass between the lighthouse and the fog horn, the highest point of rock on the island several hundred feet away from the main lighthouse structure itself. The horn is so powerful it is said its volume has knocked close flying seagulls right out of the air. The intensity of fog in this area is the reason for such a powerful horn. Both the old captain and the little girl have been sighted in this area and all kinds of sounds from laughter to groans seem to be prevalent here. In this area many hauntings have taken place.

A very interesting encounter with the ghost occurred in 1985. As the light station was being prepared for automation, the warrant officer in charge of the activities experienced an encounter with the ghost of the old captain. All items in the house were being packed for shipment to the mainland. The work crew had retired for the evening and everyone was in bed asleep when the warrant officer awakened by the shaking of his bed. The apparition in his oilskins was standing at the end of the bed shouting in pathetic tones, “Don’t take the furniture. Please leave my house alone.” The warrant officer obviously scared half to death, bolted from his bed and ran to the next room.

The next day, the furniture items were loaded in the dory, which was on a skid, which sat on a track leading to the water. The order was given to start the engine, which would slowly lower the dory down to the ocean 200 feet below. The Coast Guardsman reported that the engine suddenly stopped cold, and the chain holding the dory broke and the loaded boat went down the track full speed, hit the ocean and sank under the impact, with the furniture and all being lost. The Coast Guardsman claimed the ghost of the Old Captain had a hand in the unusual event. Never before had an event like this taken place, and according to all odds, it was an impossibility.

Is the Old Captain still on the island? Does the little girl still roam at will? Do the two of them still float between the cracks in the lighthouse walls and can you still hear their groans and laughter on those cold misty nights? Who or what are they searching for?

If you should ever pass by the Island of Seguin, let your mind wander, and you may find that your thoughts will send shivers down your spine.

This story appeared in the October 2001 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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