After a construction worker mysteriously disappeared during the construction of the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Maine, he is said to have remained at the lighthouse, haunting the site and each of the lighthouse keeper's families who lived there.
The lighthouse located in Prospect Harbor southwest of Mount Desert Island in Maine is not the only haunted lighthouse in Acadia National Park. The Bass Harbor Head Light is considered a landmark today.
On the rocky coast of Mount Desert Island, the Bass Harbor Head Light was built on a cliffside in 1858 to guide boats to Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay.
The lighthouse was built in Tremont, considered one of the quieter parts of the islands, but still attracts people to admire the views. And if you believe the rumors, the lighthouse also attracts ghosts.
Ghost of Bass Harbor main airy
The legend of the ghosts that haunt the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse dates back to the lighthouse's construction in 1858, before the first lightkeeper moved in.
It is said that during construction the builder disappeared without a trace. We don't know what happened then. Did he just quit his job and go to something else? Was this really a missing person case, or worse, a murder?
When he came out, they said they found a bloody axe on the rocks, but no body. Was he murdered, as the legends say, and his body buried in the foundations of the lighthouse?
Anyway, he has been haunting the lighthouse ever since, even before the first keeper moved in.
People have claimed to have seen his ghost nearby, heard noises, and experienced things they can't explain. Some reports say they saw a man sitting on a log outside while it snowed.
Other ghosts haunting the lighthouse
It’s not just a potential murder mystery that haunts the lighthouse. Some also claim that a deer was moving through the snow before disappearing into slim air. Upon inspection of the snow, no footprints could be found.
If the stories are to be believed, the lighthouse is also haunted by a woman. She was seen sitting in a rocking chair in the guard's house.
The Curse of the Lighthouse
Not only are the lighthouses rumored to be haunted by ghosts, but they are also said to be cursed, or at least bad luck to the keepers who lived within them.
It is said that every lighthouse keeper or family member has had their share of tragedies at the lighthouse, illnesses, and accidents. Is this really the work of a haunting or curse, or is it simply the nature of life in the remote and harsh Maine climate?
In any case, over 10 deaths were attributed to it and it was said to have only ended because the lighthouse had become automated.
A New Era for the Bass Harbor Lighthouse
The caretaker's house was once the private residence of a local Coast Guard member and his family, and most of the grounds were privately owned until 2012. Today, modern caretakers have moved in to look after the historic landmark
Much of the way they built the lighthouse has been preserved, and it looks much the same as it did when it was built when the missing construction worker disappeared. Given the immense popularity of this iconic lighthouse, parking and crowds can be an issue during peak tourist season.
Bibliography:
History of Bass Harbor Head Light – LIGHTHOUSES OF NEW ENGLAND: VIRTUAL GUIDE
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse | monstrous creatures
Acadia National Park ushers in a modern era for the iconic lighthouse
Bass Harbor Headlight | Tremont, a striking Maine – New England landmark
New England Legends Extra: Bass Harbor Haunted Light – Maine
Bass Harbor Head Light – Wikipedia
Image Source: Pixabay.com
