A Visit to the Lighthouse State

Did you know the State of Maine has more coastal lighthouses than anywhere else in the United States? By 1900 a mariner could sail along the coast and always have a lighthouse in sight. Today there are 65 lighthouses still standing and they provide a wonderful excuse to hop in the car and investigate the craggy coast of Maine.

Many Maine hotels and resorts offer a variety of Maine vacation packages. One even has a lighthouse you can stay in! So hit the road and experience the best of Maine this summer.

A great place to begin your trip is with a stop at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. The museum has the largest collection of lighthouse artifacts and mementoes. In addition, the museum provides heartwarming stories of the keepers and families of Maine Lighthouses.

Once you have a feel for life in a lighthouse, head out and explore some of the 28 lighthouses of the Mid Coast Maine region. Located in Rockland, the Rockland Breakwater Light stands on the South end of the breakwater beyond Owls Head. Between 1881 and 1899, a granite breakwater, almost a mile long, was built to help protect Rockland harbor. As the work progressed, a small moveable beacon was moved farther out each time the breakwater was extended. The light was relocated four times between 1888 and 1895, and, finally, in 1902, a permanent lighthouse was built at the breakwater's end.

From there you can visit Owl’s Head near Rockland Harbor; Tenants Harbor light, now owned by Jamie Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth’s son; Marshall Point Light Station, built in 1832; and Pemaquid Point Light built in 1827 with the original Fresnel lens still in operation.

Enjoy an authentic Maine experience with your very own lighthouse tour!

Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland Maine

The Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, Maine highlights works of art from American artists primarily from the late 18th to 20th century in its 20,000 square feet of exhibition space. The museum was founded and funded by Lucy Copeland Farnsworth who bequeathed in her will that one of the buildings she owned be converted into an art gallery and be named after her father. She was the daughter of one of Rockland’s most prominent businessman and in 1935, at her death, donated the sum of 1.3 million dollars to be used for the art gallery's establishment. The Farnsworth was opened to the public on August 15, 1948 through the auspices of her Board of Trustees and Robert Peabody Bellows.

The Farnsworth Art Museum highlights the works of American artists with associations to Maine and who have gained national attention for their works. The exhibits display American art at its finest. Walk through its many galleries and you will discover the names of artists associated with part of American art history such as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Eakins, Thomas Sully, Fitz Henry Lane, Eastman Johnson, Childe Hassam, Frank Benson, and Maurice Prendergast. These prominent artists form part of the permanent collection of the Farnsworth Art Museum which is aptly titled "Maine in America".

The Farnsworth Art Museum has a sensible layout and visitors often comment that this layout makes it easy to navigate the museum. Although the museum spans two buildings and many galleries, you will still have a relaxing time just looking at the works of art that it offers. Because the museum houses more than 10,000 works of art, there is always something new on display. The Farnsworth Art Museum also offers a large library that is housed in its Rockland, Maine campus.

The museum is also known nationally for the The Wyeth Center which features three generations of America’s first family of American art, the Wyeth family. In this center you will be able to enjoy the works of N.C (Newell Convers) Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Jamie (James Browning) Wyeth. It is one of only two centers in the United States dedicated to the artistry of the Wyeth family.

N.C Wyeth is one of America’s greatest illustrators who illustrated for 112 books, including Robinson Crusoe and Treasure Island. He also produced more than 3,000 realist paintings in his lifetime. His son, Andrew Wyeth, was also a realist painter, referred to as “Painter of the People”. One of Andrew Wyeth’s most famous works is Christina’s World (1948), depicting his neighbor Christina Olson. Jamie Wyeth is Andrew’s second son, who is also a realist painter. He prefers oil as his medium while his father worked mostly with watercolor and tempera. Jamie’s posthumous portrait of John F. Kennedy is one of his most famous works.

N.C Wyeth’s works are shown at the Linda Bean Folkers Gallery, Marylouise Tandy Cowan Gallery features the works of Jamie Wyeth, and the Hadlock Galleries and Study Center contain Andrew Wyeth’s works.

The Farnsworth Art Museum also houses the second largest collection of the works of prominent sculptor Louise Nevelson. Nevelson, a renowned sculptor in the twentieth century, was born in Russia but grew up and spent her adolescent years in Maine. She was a very prominent abstract expressionist sculptor who liked to work with everyday, commonly discarded things to create her works of art. Her works of sculpture still inspire artists and sculptors to this day.

Because of its mission to establish Maine’s place in the American art world, the collections in the Farnsworth Art Museum also contains quilts and samples of American craftspeople from recent American history. As a result, you can also view folk art and ship models in this museum.

Two historic homes are part of the museum’s properties as well, the Farnsworth Homestead and the Olson House. The Farnsworth Homestead is the home of benefactor Lucy Farnsworth. It is maintained with its original furnishings and serves as an historic example of the lifestyle of an upperclass family living in the late 19th century. The Olson House located in Cushing, Maine was the house that inspired “Christina’s World,” Andrew Wyeth’s most famous painting. The Farnsworth Homestead was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and The Olson House in 1993. Both houses are open for viewing by the public.

For more information about the Farnsworth Art Museum, visit their website at farnsworthmuseum.org

Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland, Maine

Maine culture would never be the same without lighthouses. Lighthouses served as beacons of hope for the wayward traveler. There was a time when the revolving lights served as a comfort for both the sailor and their families. They knew that the light could pierce the fog and guide their sailors home. Today, you can relive those moments as you visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum in the heart of the Midcoast in Rockland, Maine.

The Maine Lighthouse Museum contains the largest collection of lighthouse and lifesaving memorabilia. These artifacts remind the Maine Lighthouse Museum visitors of the heroism of the lighthouse keepers and the United States Coast Guard as they saved lives even in the most dangerous storms.

Visitors are treated to the largest collection of Fresnel lenses, working foghorns, search and rescue gear, boats, buoys, bells and ship models. All these are significant to the long history of the United States Coast Guard and Life Saving Services and pays tribute to their never-ending commitment to maritime safety. There is even an exhibit that educates the public about the role of female lighthouse keepers and the families of lighthouse keepers.

Immerse yourself in American maritime history in the Maine Lighthouse Museum. Visitors rave about the friendliness of the staff and volunteers who share with zest their knowledge and experiences to anyone who would listen. Some experienced firsthand this history as they have relations who played a part in the maritime history of the Midcoast.

Located at the waterfront in downtown Rockland, the Maine Lighthouse Museum is a tribute to all who have sacrificed their lives in providing safety amidst the uncertainties that the capricious coastal weather brings.