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West Quoddy Head Light

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and Quoddy Narrows, with Grand Manan Island, Canada, visible in the background
Location:	West Quoddy head/Bay of Fundy
Coordinates WGS-84 (GPS)	44°48′54″N, 66°57′02″W
Foundation:	Masonry
Construction:	Brick
Year first lit:	1858 (Current tower)
Year first constructed:	1808
Automated:	1988
Tower shape:	Conical
Markings/Pattern:	Red and white bands with black lantern
Height:	49 feet
Elevation:	Center of lantern 83 feet (25.3 meters) above sea level
Original lens:	Third order Fresnel lens
Intensity:	30,000 candlepower, 1000 watt bulb
Range:	15-18 miles (24-29 kilometers) at sea
Characteristic:	Flashing(2) White 15s with the following pattern: 2s flashing 2s eclipse, 2s flashing 9s eclipse. Lighted throughout 24 hours. Emergency light of reduced intensity when main light is extinguished. HORN: 2 blasts ev 30s (2s bl-2s si-2s bl-24s si).

West Quoddy Head (44°49' north latitude, 66°57' west longitude) in Lubec, Maine is the easternmost point in the 48 contiguous states of the United States. West Quoddy Head is adjacent to the Quoddy Narrows, a narrow strait between Canada and the United States. Since 1808, there has been a lighthouse on the site to guide ships through this waterway. The present one with distinctive red-and-white stripes was built in 1858. Photographs and paintings of this lighthouse are frequently reproduced.

Historical Chronology from Coast Guard web site:

• 1806: Lighthouse at West Passamaquoddy Head, Maine, first authorized by Congress.
• 1808: Light station established on 21 April 1808 at a cost of $5,000. The first keeper was Thomas Dexter.
• 1820: On May 15, Congress authorizes the first fog signal, a 500-pound bell, at the station for a cost of $1,000.
• 1939: Howard Grey was the last civilian keeper of the station prior to its transfer to the U.S. Coast Guard.
• 1962: As of 15 August 1962 BM1 Bruce Keene was OIC, or Officer-in-Charge (dates of the time he began and ended his tour are not presently known--he served at least through September *1964.) According to documents in the West Quoddy file, his father, LT Thomas Keene, had previously served as the head keeper of the light station.
• 1963: As of 27 October Keene was still OIC and (Engineman?) Richard Copeland was his assistant.
• 1978: Through 31 May the OIC was BM1 Cliffton Scholfield. He had a crew of two assistants: MT2 Carl Hatch and MT# Davis Blanding.
• 1978: On 1 June, BM2 George Eaton took over as the OIC of the station. He had two assistants.
• 1979: MK3 Carl Hatch was a member of the crew.
• 1981: As of 14 September, the OIC was BM1 John Richardson.
• 1988: The light was automated in July 1988. The last OIC (keeper) was Malcolm Rouse, USCG.

• Extreme points of the United States
• West Quoddy Head Lighthouse- from Lighthousefriends.com

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