Maine’s iconic lighthouses — all 66 of them — are among the state’s most endangered historic places, according to Maine Preservation.
It’s unusual for the group, a nonprofit based in Yarmouth, to identify a large group of buildings rather than just a few, said Tara Kelly, executive director.
But the powerful and damaging January storms, coupled with anticipated continued sea-level rise and other effects of climate change, demanded a broader view, she said.
“The circumstances for all Maine’s precious light stations really are dire,” she said. “They are purpose built in precarious places. They are all threatened by rising seas and climate change.”
The lighthouses are among the list of seven places Maine Preservation believes “are facing challenging circumstances that stand in the way of their continued existence.”
The January storms caused an estimated $5.5 million in damage to lighthouses up and down the coast. The group notes that 50 of the 66 light stations are on islands and many are owned by towns, nonprofit groups or individuals.
However, 57 of the 66 still aid in navigation.
“In the face of climate change, these structures must be adapted for high winds and inundation, or infrastructure installed to mitigate the impact of larger and stronger waves,” the group said in announcing the list. “Without intervention, it is not a question of if, but when the long-standing sentinels along Maine’s coast will fall to the sea.”
The group encourages people to volunteer and donate to their favorite lighthouse or buy a specialty lighthouse license plate. In addition, they say residents can call on the Infrastructure Rebuilding and Resilience Commission to help with planning for the storms ahead.
Other properties on the list this year:
In Portland, the group cites 142 Fore St., owned by the Portland Museum of Art, as an endangered building following the City Council’s decision to reclassify it so it can be demolished. The museum is planning a major expansion and argued that the building has been modified over the years and should no longer be considered part of the city’s historic district. A local advocacy group has appealed the decision in court.
Sangerville Town Hall, a Colonial Revival-style building built in 1902. The building has fallen into disrepair over several years and needs about $500,000 in repairs to the foundation alone, according to Maine Preservation. The group says this is one of the projects that could benefit from Question 3 on the Nov. 5 ballot, which would allow the state to borrow $10 million to support a grant program for historic preservation.
Central Congregational Church in Eastport, which needs more than $400,000 in repairs and is no longer being used as a church. The church, built in 1829, is on the National Register of Historic Places “as an important example of Federal-style ecclesiastical architecture” and the skill of local architect and builder Daniel Low.
Eagle Island State Historic Site, which was the summer home of artic explorer Adm. Robert Peary. After his death in 1920, Peary’s family gifted the house to the state in 1967. The state and a volunteer group has maintained the property, but when it was shut down in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it developed mold and mildew, according to Maine Preservation. Then in January, violent storms destroyed the island’s pier and moorings, causing an estimated $1.9 million in damage.
Kneisel Hall in Blue Hill, which hosts a chamber music school and festival. The hall, which dates to the early 1920s, continues to be used each summer, but needs repairs to its foundation, chimney and roof.
Starling Hall in Fayette, which dates to 1879. The former grange hall has undergone extensive renovations, but still needs carpentry repairs and painting, improved accessibility and interior work. Town voters will decide on Nov. 5 whether to sell the building or keep it.