On March 3, 1821, President James Monroe directed Congress to purchase the five acre island and construct a thirty foot high lighthouse.
In those days, Boothbay Harbor and the surrounding area was a very busy shipbuilding and fishing port. Because the harbor was large and well protected, it became a safe haven for the many commercial sailing vessels that traveled the coast of Maine.
In May of 1821 a group of captains and owners of the commercial vessels drafted a petition to the local customs collector, requesting that a lighthouse be placed on Burnt Island at the entrance of the harbor. The petition was granted and construction of the tower was started that same year. On November 9, 1821, Keeper Joshua B Cushing lit the oil lamps for the first time.
The tower is 30 feet high. The beam of light is 61 feet above mean sea level. The tower is made of rubble stone granite. It is believed that some of the stone came from the excavation of the keepers house basement. The tower walls are 4 foot thick at the base and lined with red brick.
KEEPERS LOG
December 16 1872
Trimmed light at nine o'clock again at two in the morning. Plate glass very icy, cleaned it with spirits of wine.
– James A. McCobb,
Burnt Island Keeper