Anyone who's been to Maine before can tell you that there are a lot of lighthouses in this state. In fact, over 60 lighthouses can be found here. Many of them have more of an aesthetic purpose rather than being there for practical reasons. Still though, they are all interesting to see. These are some of the most popular lighthouses in Maine.

Portland Head Lighthouse

This lighthouse is located at Portland Harbor's entrance. It's Maine's oldest lighthouse and it's also one of the country's oldest lighthouses. Construction on it began back in 1787. It took 3 years to complete and local rubble stones were used to construct it as George Washington didn't want to incur a large expense having it built. The lighthouse has never been rebuilt and it's one of the few colonial-era lighthouses that still stand today.

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

Located at Quoddy Head State Park, this lighthouse was built in 1808. However, the tower of it was replaced in 1858 with a brick tower that's 49 feet high and circular with red and white stripes. The tower was originally built so that ships could safely navigate the Quoddy Narrows. The lighthouse is considered to be a symbol to the area and it's on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wood Island Lighthouse

First established back in 1808 by Thomas Jefferson, the original tower of the lighthouse didn't hold up well as the wooden structure eventually rotted fully around the 1830s. Because of this, a granite tower was erected to replace it in 1839. The tower ended up being renovated again in 1858 and the 4th order Fresnel lens was added. The lighthouse can be seen from parts of the East Point Audubon Sanctuary. Because the lighthouse is located on Wood Island, it can only be reached by boat.

Pemaquid Lighthouse

John Quincy Adams commissioned this lighthouse back in 1827. It was built quickly in the same year, but the workmanship was poor as the mortar mix contained salt water. Parts of the lighthouse started to crumble and reconstruction on it began in 1835. This time though, only freshwater was allowed to be used and the lighthouse has fared well over the years. Today, it's visited quite often by tourists and it's been photographed for numerous publications.

Burnt Island Lighthouse

This is Maine's second oldest lighthouse. It was built in 1821 and is located on a 5 acre island about a mile from Boothbay Harbor's port. The lighthouse still works and the state Department of Marine Resources hosts a living history museum here. There are a variety of educational activities that take place at Burnt Island. In order to visit the lighthouse, you will have to do so by boat.