The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse was originally built with a parabolic reflector as a light which was lit by candles and had a visibility of 2 miles. In the early 1850s, Augustin Fresnel invented a superior way to focus light which could be seen as far as 20 miles away. Upon widespread understanding of Fresnel’s breakthrough, the majority of US lighthouses switched to Fresnel lenses.
Many more technological breakthroughs followed, and today, thanks to the advent of GPS and other modern navigation technology, lights such as the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse are nowhere near as essential as they used to be.
Today most modern lighthouses, including the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, use modern high powered lights and are controlled by automated computer systems. Although a keeper once lived in the house nearby the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, today it is nothing but an uninhabited historical attraction.
Stock Image #20110818-171139