Great Duck Lighthouse

Great Duck Island Lighthouse, established in 1890, stands on the southern tip of Great Duck Island in the Gulf of Maine, approximately 11 miles south of Mount Desert Island. The cylindrical brick tower, painted white with a black lantern, rises 35 feet and was originally equipped with a fifth-order Fresnel lens, later upgraded to a fourth-order in 1902. The lighthouse was automated in 1986 and remains an active aid to navigation, emitting a red flash every five seconds, with a foghorn sounding every 15 seconds.

The station once included three keeper’s dwellings, a fog signal building, and other outbuildings; today, only one keeper’s house survives. In 1998, the College of the Atlantic acquired the 12-acre light station property, transforming it into the Alice Eno Field Research Station. The island is a vital habitat for seabirds, supporting significant populations of Leach’s storm-petrels and black guillemots. To protect these nesting birds, the island is closed to the public from April through October.

While not accessible to visitors, the lighthouse can be viewed from boat tours departing from nearby harbors, offering a glimpse into Maine’s maritime heritage and the island’s ecological significance.