Government Presence on Baker Island
Government Presence on Baker Island
Timeline:
1789 United States Lighthouse Establishment was created under the Dept. of the Treasury
1823 Congress appropriated $2,500 in March for construction of a lighthouse on Baker's Island.
1825 Congress appropriated an additional $1,300 in February for Baker's Island Light
1826 and 1828 Congress re-appropriated the funds, because difficulty in obtaining a deed had delayed start of construction.
1828 United States Lighthouse Establishment built a lighthouse on Baker's Island
1852 Creation of the United States Lighthouse Board
1854 Congress appropriated $5,000 to rebuild the tower and keeper's quarters.
1855 Lighthouse and keeper's quarters were rebuilt, as the original rubblestone structures were deemed unsound. A 4th order Fresnel lens was installed in the tower.
1857 Expenditures for the Baker's Island Lighthouse totaled $8,761.33
1878 United States Lifesaving Service was established as a separate agency of the Treasury Department
1878 Islesford USLS Station was built across the bar
1898 In response to the Spanish-American War, defense appropriations funded a telegraph / telephone cable to MDI (via Islesford and Bear); the U.S.Signal Service established a facility on Baker including a building and signal cross / lookout tower.
1903 The U.S. Light-house Board was transferred from Dept. of Treasury to Dept. of Commerce
1910 Congress abolished the U.S. Light-house Board and created the Bureau of Lighthouses under the Dept. of Commerce
1915 The USLS was absorbed by the USCG; the Islesford station was now the Coast Guard Station.
1939 The US Lighthouse Service was absorbed by the USCG (back into the Treasury Dept.)
1941 Lighthouse Keeper Frank Faulkingham enlisted in the Coast Guard as BM 1/C when the USCG took over the Lighthouse Service. He could have remained in the USLHS, but would have had civilian status, without military benefits, and be subject to the draft.
WW2 Coast Guardsmen (4-6) were stationed on Baker Island to man the Baker Island Coastal Lookout Station under the direction of Frank Faulkingham.
1945 The Coast Guard Station on Islesford / Little Cranberry was moved to the facility in Southwest Harbor
1955 Baker Island Light was decommissioned and shut down in October
1957 Baker Island light was reactivated as an automatic aid to navigation (in response to protests from community and mariners)
1958 Baker Island Light Station, including the keeper's quarters, was transferred to the National Park Service, along with an easement to access the parcel and its buildings from the boat landing. NOT included in the conveyance was a 20' x 20' square plot on which the light tower stands, which continued to be serviced and maintained by the USCG.
2011 The Baker Island Light Tower was transferred from the USCG to the National Park Service. Only the lantern remains Coast Guard property and responsibility.
2017 Lantern replaced with a solar-powered Vega VLB 44 (LED) in June.
Timeline:
1789 United States Lighthouse Establishment was created under the Dept. of the Treasury
1823 Congress appropriated $2,500 in March for construction of a lighthouse on Baker's Island.
1825 Congress appropriated an additional $1,300 in February for Baker's Island Light
1826 and 1828 Congress re-appropriated the funds, because difficulty in obtaining a deed had delayed start of construction.
1828 United States Lighthouse Establishment built a lighthouse on Baker's Island
1852 Creation of the United States Lighthouse Board
1854 Congress appropriated $5,000 to rebuild the tower and keeper's quarters.
1855 Lighthouse and keeper's quarters were rebuilt, as the original rubblestone structures were deemed unsound. A 4th order Fresnel lens was installed in the tower.
1857 Expenditures for the Baker's Island Lighthouse totaled $8,761.33
1878 United States Lifesaving Service was established as a separate agency of the Treasury Department
1878 Islesford USLS Station was built across the bar
1898 In response to the Spanish-American War, defense appropriations funded a telegraph / telephone cable to MDI (via Islesford and Bear); the U.S.Signal Service established a facility on Baker including a building and signal cross / lookout tower.
1903 The U.S. Light-house Board was transferred from Dept. of Treasury to Dept. of Commerce
1910 Congress abolished the U.S. Light-house Board and created the Bureau of Lighthouses under the Dept. of Commerce
1915 The USLS was absorbed by the USCG; the Islesford station was now the Coast Guard Station.
1939 The US Lighthouse Service was absorbed by the USCG (back into the Treasury Dept.)
1941 Lighthouse Keeper Frank Faulkingham enlisted in the Coast Guard as BM 1/C when the USCG took over the Lighthouse Service. He could have remained in the USLHS, but would have had civilian status, without military benefits, and be subject to the draft.
WW2 Coast Guardsmen (4-6) were stationed on Baker Island to man the Baker Island Coastal Lookout Station under the direction of Frank Faulkingham.
1945 The Coast Guard Station on Islesford / Little Cranberry was moved to the facility in Southwest Harbor
1955 Baker Island Light was decommissioned and shut down in October
1957 Baker Island light was reactivated as an automatic aid to navigation (in response to protests from community and mariners)
1958 Baker Island Light Station, including the keeper's quarters, was transferred to the National Park Service, along with an easement to access the parcel and its buildings from the boat landing. NOT included in the conveyance was a 20' x 20' square plot on which the light tower stands, which continued to be serviced and maintained by the USCG.
2011 The Baker Island Light Tower was transferred from the USCG to the National Park Service. Only the lantern remains Coast Guard property and responsibility.
2017 Lantern replaced with a solar-powered Vega VLB 44 (LED) in June.