There is a flashing green light across Saco Bay that has always intrigued me. I knew it had to be a lighthouse, but knew nothing about it! Well, it is called Wood Island Lighthouse and I have officially put it on my bucket list of things to do in the area because come to find out you can visit it and tour it!
Origins of Wood Island Lighthouse
Wood Island Lighthouse was established in 1808 to assist in guiding ships into the entrance to Saco River and Saco Bay. The first lighthouse was just an octagonal wooden tower which was rebuilt several times, with eventually a granite tower in 1839. In 1858, the lens was changed to a Fresnel one and in 1986 it was automated. Then, in the 2000’s the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, formed with the goal to completely restore the Wood Island Lighthouse.
The Haunted Truth
Besides being a guiding light for sailors for over two hundred years it has been a source of intrigue and mystique because it is said it is haunted. In the recent past, people such as paranormal investigators and ghost hunters have witnessed numerous things that lead to the rumor to be true. Shadowy figures and fluctuations in temperatures are just some of the things they experienced on Wood Island. Unexplained noises such as footsteps inside the Lighthouse when no one is inside. Creaking door opening and shutting followed by whispers are also things experienced.
Stories of the Past
In my little research I found one story where one of the keepers of the Wood Island Lighthouse spirit still lingers the Lighthouse and the Island. He supposedly died tragically either to a storm or an accident. Another story is where lighthouse keepers would disappear with no clear answers. It is said they were disappearing because of the spirit that still lingers or an ancient curse.
Another story took place in the 1890s, where a grisly murder-suicide occurred. A local, Howard Hobbs a part-time lobsterman and a quasi deputy, Fred Milliken got into an altercation where Hobbs had a loaded gun. The sheriff’s deputy tried to disarm the drunken soul but got shot instead. Hobbs, realizing what he had done, he attempted to turn himself in to lighthouse keeper Thomas Henry Orcutt who, probably in fear, turned him away. The squatter returned to his shack and committed suicide. Legend and evidence has it that the ghosts of the murdered deputy, Howard Hobbs and the deputy’s wife and children still haunts the Lighthouse and Island. I imagine Winslow Homer, famous painter of the Maine coast, had this story in mind when he painted his painting that I have included to the left.
We know because of The New England Ghost Project that these hauntings occur because of their devices and technology that show shadowy figures and fluctuations in temperatures. I don’t know about you but it does frighten me quite a bit but intrigues me just the same!
Wood Island Restoration
With these stories and the beauty of the Island and the Lighthouse, it was worth saving in the 2000’s. The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse have completely renovated the Lighthouse and it looks stunning. There are about eight acres that FOWIL manages. The lighthouse tower, keeper’s house and other buildings have been in restoration since 2003. In 2018, they were able to open up the keeper’s house to visitors. The boathouse was severely damaged by the January 2024 storms and the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse have been working on stabilization and repairs.
Visiting the Lighthouse
You can tour the Lighthouse in July and August by booking online which opens around June 1st. Guided tours are offered where you can climb 60 stairs to the top of the tower for panoramic views of Saco Bay. The guided tour includes about a two-hour tour which includes a boat ride that is about 15 minutes, a 1/2 mile walk on a raised wooden boardwalk, a tour of the keeper’s house and of course the option to climb the tower is available.
Next time you are in Old Orchard Beach staying at the Alouette Beach Resort check out the lighthouse across the way and know it is more than just a lighthouse with a green flashing light it’s a haunted lighthouse!
