For generations lighthouses stood like sentinels along America’s shorelines, protecting mariners from peril and guiding them to safety. Now, with the advent of GPS technology, many of these historic landmarks are no longer considered mission critical, and so the federal government is giving or selling them to those willing to preserve them. The General Services Administration is offering six lighthouses at no cost or at auction in New England, including the Warwick Neck Lighthouse in Warwick, R.I., and Gurnet Light in Plymouth, Mass.
One of the lighthouses for sale in maine is a former single-family home and tower on Two Bush Island off Maine’s Penobscot Bay. The property includes the lighthouse, a keeper’s cottage and nearly two acres of sandy beachfront. The lighthouse is solar operated and is not open to the public.
Another is the picturesque Robinson Point Lighthouse in Mount Desert Island, a former wooden structure that was built in 1856. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Whether it’s for a summer road trip or just a day of sightseeing, there are plenty of lighthouses to see in Maine. These are some of the easiest to visit, and some are fun to explore even when it’s cold and snowy.
Several individuals have become pioneers in lighthouse living by converting these iconic structures into their homes. Since Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act in 2000 allowing the transfer of lighthouses into private ownership, about 150 have been transferred, with 80 given away and 70 sold at auction.