Bear Island Light Station (Maine)

District:	1st
Inspector:	Thomas Sampson, Asst. Superintendent
Location:	On southwesterly side of Bear Island ME, one of the Cranberry Islands, southeasterly of entrance to Northeast Harbor
Date of Report:	05/03/1935
Latitude:	44° 17' 01"
Longitude:	68° 16' 14"

Site:	Purchase
Date of Reservation:
Date of Deed:	08/19/1838
Date of Permission:
Date of Lease:
Area of the Entire Site:	3.25 acres + right of way
Area Inclosed:	Entire site
Character of Soil:
Distance of tower from Nearest High-Water Mark:	100 ft
Inclosures to Premises / Type of Fence:	Woven wire fence
Wharf or Landing on Premises:	Wharf & boat slip
Road to Land or Wharf Chararacter of and Distance:
Means to Reach Light Station:	Boat
Distance to Nearest Road:
Distance to Post Office:
Distance to Village:	1.5 miles to Northeast Harbor
Facilities for Public Conveyance:
Facilities for Private Conveyance:
Means Used for Support of Lantern:	Tower
Number of Separate Lights:	One
First Built or Established:	1839
Last Rebuilt, Repaired, or Renovated:	1889
Condition at This Date:
Shape of Tower in Plan:
Form of Tower:
Height from Base to Ventilator Ball:
Height of Focal Plane Above Mean High Water:	99 ft
Background of Lighthouse as Seen from Sea:	Sky
Color of Tower:	White
Color of Tower/ How Produced:	Paint
Tower Connection:	Detached
Object of Navigation:	Harbor aid
Building Materials:	Brick & cement
General Description:
Wall Thickness at Base:
Wall Thickness at Parapet:
Diameter at Base:
Diameter at Parapet:
Kind of Stairway and Steps:	Cast iron
Number of Landings:
Size of Glass:	10" x 16"
Number of Windows and Size of Sash:	2-23 5/8" x 37"
Number of Doors:	Two
Kind of Foundation and Depth Below Surface:
Character of Soil Surrounding the Lighthouse:
Soil Susceptibility:
Miscellaneous Remarks:

Order of Lantern:	5th order
Shape of Lantern:	Polygonal
Diameter to Glass:
Diameter in the Clear:
Number of Sides:	8
Type of Bars:	Vertical
Thickness of Bars:
Height Glazed:	36"
Number of Plates in Height:	1
Number of Plates Each Side:	1
Thickness of Plates:	1/4"
Size of Plates:	34" x 36"
Number of Storm Panes:
Unglazed Side of Lantern:
What Bearings:
Construction Material Lantern:	Cast iron & brass
Construction Material Roof / Cowl:	Cast iron
Ventilator / Cowl:	Cast iron
Lightning Spindle:	Yes
Description of Lightning Rod:	Copper, fork end, screwed to ball
Balustrade:	3 rails with rungs & ball top posts
Lantern Doors:	Iron door with bass hinges & latch
Floor of Lantern:	Cast iron
Watchroom Doors:	Iron trap door fitted with bass hinge
Parapet Diameter:

Location / Number:	In parapet wall
Ladders / Cleaning Arrangement:	None
Curtain Hooks / Hanger:	Spring roller curtains

Kind of Apparatus:
Intensity in Candles:
Name of Maker:	Henry Lepaute
Year Made:	Not known
Marks and Number:	Henry Lepaute, Paris
Order of Apparatus:	5th
Inside Diameter:	14 5/8"
Light Characteristic:	Flashing White, 6 sec; flash 1 sec., ecliipse 5 sec.
Time of Revolution:
Flash Interval:
Duration of Flash:
Arc of Each Fixed Part:	240 degrees
Number of Panels:	3, fourth panel out
Number of Flash Panels:
Arc of Each:
Number of Elements in Central Drum:	5
Number of Prisms Above Center Drum:	5
Number of Prisms Below Center Drum:	3
Does Apparatus Revolve?:	False
Is There a Revolving Belt?:	False
Revolving Panels:
How Flash is Produced:
Number of Vertical Elements Panel:
Fixed Lens Covered:
Pedestal:	Cast iron 3' 6" high 16" diameter
Service Table:
Draft Tube Description:
Revolving Machinery:
Standby and Description:
Chariot Float or Balls:
Chariot Description:
Length of Drop Tube:
Clock Weight:
Length of Winding Time:
Drive During Rewind:
Machinery Protection:
Regulated:
Lens Protection:
How Color is Produced:
Red Sectors Description:
Where Color Attached:
Form of Colored Glass:
Lamp Description:	Funk Heap 1 wick for standby
Type of Illuminant:
Number of Spare Lamps:	2
Number of Spare Burners:	2
Candle Power:

Gas Light Kind:	Acetylene
Gas Light Number of Burners:	1
Kind of Burner:	Flat flame
Candlepower Per Burner:
Total Candlepower:
Consumption Gas Burner Per Hour:
Total Consumption Per Hour:
How Gas Obtained:	Compressed in gas accumulators (4)

Tower Closet Use:	One in service room for lamp stoch & chimneys
Oil House Description:	80 ft southeasterly from tower
Oil House Inside Dimension:	8' x 10'
Oil House Construction Material:	Field Stone
Oil House Capacity:	450 cases fitted with 139 gal tank
Other (Describe):
Suitability:

Fog Signal Kind:	Bell struck by machinery
Time to Start:	Starts immediately
How Long Will Pressure Last:
Manufacturer:
Year of Manufacture:
Characteristic:	Single blow every 15 sec.
Duplication:	All in machine shop in Boston where they can be shipped promptly
Timing Device:
If whistle, siren, or trumpet, Pressure at Which Blown:
Height Above Water:
Compass Direction:
Location:	Guide to southwest & Northeast Harbors & to Somes Sound
Distance and Direction:	175 ft south, southeast
Water Supply:
Reached from Lighthouse:	Plank walk & steps
Description of Fog Signal Building:	White pyramidal tower
Pressure And Recording Gauge:

How Procured:	Rain from roof of dwelling
Quality:	Good
Quantity:	Ample
Injury Possible:	No
Purity Precaution:	Cisterns are cleaned annually
Tank Capacity:	2500 gal placed in cellar of dwelling
Tank Material:	Brick & cement
Distilling Apparatus:	False
Distilling Manufacturer:
Well Description:
Well Diameter:
Well Lining:
Pump or Bucket:
What Power Used:
Distance from Dwelling:

Access to Lighthouse:	Boatwinch & wharf for tenders-used as depot for buoys. Boathouse removed, 1934, by order Superintendent
Distance and Direction:	About 270 ft north northwest
Miscellaneous Remarks:	Premises, tower, buildings & iluminating apparatus are in good condtion, extensives repairs done to wharf & coal shed in summer of 1909.