The Nubble Light: a York, Maine landmark
- Austin Coop
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Nubble Light—officially known as Cape Neddick Light—is one of New England’s most recognizable and photographed lighthouses.
Long before Nubble Light became a beloved landmark, the rocky islet known as “the Nubble” was notorious among sailors navigating Maine’s southern coast. Throughout the 1800s, jagged ledges and unpredictable weather made the area perilous. Ship captains, fishermen, and local residents repeatedly petitioned the federal government for a lighthouse—highlighting the frequent shipwrecks and the need for a navigational guide at Cape Neddick.
In 1874, Congress approved funding to construct a lighthouse. Engineers chose the tiny offshore island for its excellent visibility and natural elevation. By 1879, the station was complete: a 41-foot cast-iron tower lined with brick, capped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens whose brilliant, concentrated light marked the coastline for miles.
Alongside the tower, builders erected a keeper’s house, boathouse, storage buildings, walkways, and a fog bell system—everything needed to support life on a windswept island that often felt much farther from shore than its 100-yard distance suggested.
Life on the Nubble was isolated, rugged, and deeply tied to the rhythm of the sea. Keepers and their families weathered powerful Atlantic storms, often unable to row to the mainland. In response, the Lighthouse Service installed a unique aerial tramway system: a cable suspended between the island and shore. A small wooden “bucket” ran along it, carrying supplies, tools, and—according to local lore—even the keeper’s famously cantankerous cat, Sambo Tonkus.
Daily work was demanding and precise. Keepers tended the lamp, polished the lens, monitored the fog bell, recorded weather conditions, maintained buildings, and ensured the light shone without fail—no matter the season.
The early 20th century brought upgrades: an improved fog signal, new engines, and electric power. In 1939, the U.S. Lighthouse Service merged with the Coast Guard, and Nubble Light officially became a Coast Guard station. Despite modernization, keepers remained on-site for decades, maintaining the light and machinery by hand.
That era ended in 1987, when the lighthouse was fully automated. The last Coast Guard keepers departed, leaving behind more than a century of human stories etched into the island’s granite.
Concerned the site might fall into neglect after automation, the Town of York stepped in. In 1989, an agreement allowed the town to maintain the lighthouse buildings, preserving the island exactly as generations had known it.
