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Geographic coordinates: 44° 08' 03" N 68° 26' 50" W
Nearest town: Swan’s Island. Located at Hockamock Head at the entrance to Burnt Coat Harbor, south side of Swan’s Island, Blue Hill Bay.
Established: 1872. Present lighthouse built: 1872. Automated: 1975.
Height of tower: 32 feet. Height of focal plane: 75 feet.
Earlier optic: Fourth-order Fresnel lens. Present optic: 250 mm.
Characteristic: White light occulting every 4 seconds.
Swan’s Island, about 7,000 acres, developed strong granite and fishing industries in the nineteenth century. Burnt Coat Harbor, on the island’s south side, was a valuable sheltered spot. To mark the entrance to the harbor, a light station was established on the promontory called Hockamock Head.
Vessels frequently tried to make it into Burnt Coat Harbor in storms. In the early 1900s, a coal schooner on its way to Bar Harbor tried to make shelter but ran into a ledge and broke apart. The crew managed to escape, but the ship’s cargo provided fuel for many Swan’s Island residents that year.
The Coast Guard automated the light in 1975. The station became the property of the town of Swan’s Island in 1994, and a committee was formed to oversee the management of the property. With nobody living at the station and no regular maintenance, the property quickly deteriorated.
In recent years, a number of grants have enabled the town to initiate the restoration of the dwelling. The town will continue fundraising toward the complete restoration of the station. You can learn more by visiting the town’s website at www.swansisland.org. The Friends of the Swan’s Island Lighthouse, a nonprofit corporation, assists the town in preserving the light station. See www.swansisland.org/lighthouse.htm for more information.
Fascinating Fact 
The first permanent white settler on Swan’s Island was David Smith of New Hampshire in 1791. Smith had twenty-four children by two marriages, and his feats of strength earned him the nickname “King David.” Many island natives can trace their ancestry to David Smith.
The six-mile ferry crossing to Swan’s Island from Bass Harbor takes about 40 minutes. For information, call 207-244-3254 or visit www.maine.gov/mdot/msfs/ online. The grounds around the lighthouse are open to the public. From the ferry, drive about a half-mile to a T intersection, turn right, and continue straight along the main road through the village of Swan’s Island. Continue straight to the parking area for the lighthouse. The drive from the ferry is about 4.5 miles.
You can arrange a trip with Sea Venture Custom Boat Tours (207-288-3355, www.svboattours.com) in Bar Harbor to see this and other area lighthouses.
