This Historic Lighthouse was built in 1791 ~ When the first keeper was appointed by President Washington.
Wherein, thirty dedicated keepers up these eighty-nine steps did climb ~ Right up to its automation in 1989.
Yet within this Portland Head Light Tower ~ For over one hundred years still shines their midnight hour.
Left herein, these two Spirits from another time remain ~ Still trimming the wicks and lighting the flame.

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All prints signed in gold ink by the artist.
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Included with this print is an 8" x 10" story sheet, as shown, also suitable for framing.

This story is about a famous two hundred year old New England lighthouse and two benevolent spirits who might still remain within the tower.

The Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest lighthouse, dates back to 1791. For over two hundred years this Light Station was home to thirty principal keepers and their families along with the various assistant keepers and their families.

Living at a lighthouse was not for the weary and those who did, truly loved being an integral part of the Lighthouse service. The daily duties required to maintain and operate a working Light Station were very demanding and sometimes extremely dangerous. More often than not, the keeper’s wife would help with the tower duties. They would lend assistance by helping refill the oil lamps, trimming the wicks, lighting the lanterns or just simply keeping the tower in ship shape. Sometimes, when the Keeper would go into the city to replenish the necessary supplies, a fierce storm would suddenly and unexpectedly occur. The women waiting back at the Lighthouse would then assume the role as principal “Keeper-On-Station” until the storm would pass and their husbands could return safely.

Today people are not necessary to maintain a working lighthouse. With the advent of Loran and G.P.S. gone are the days when the towers were alive with dedicated and proud members of the Lighthouse service. Yet, is this entirely true?

According to folklore, former keepers stationed at the Portland Head Light have seen two spirits, a man and a woman inside the tower. These spirits are said to emanate a very tranquil kind of energy: that of peace and harmony, protection and security. Many of the keepers and kin accepted these two benevolent spirits into their families as the “Other” members. Specific identities and background information about these two spirits is currently unknown. However, what is known is that both spirits had been seen or heard beginning around the mid-nineteenth century. Could this be true? Or could it be that it was just the wind and sea which created those ghostly sounds heard inside the tower by these former keepers? Perhaps, even today the tower is still settling into its centuries old foundation. What about those believed sightings? Maybe they were just merely phantom figments imagined by an overworked and exhausted keeper. Or just possibly these two spirit keepers might still have an eternal bond to this, their beloved tower . . . and they have just simply decided never to leave.

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