Decorating with Lighthouses

Lighthouse Fun Facts

Here in Maine, and particularly during the summer months, people from all over visit to enjoy coastal views, mountain air, lobster rolls and lighthouses. 65 lighthouses are sprinkled along the coast of Vacationland, from the northernmost Whitlocks Mill Lighthouse in Calais, to the most inland Ladies Delight Light in Winthrop, to the most isolated Mount Desert Rock Lighthouse located 22 miles off the coast of Isle Au Haut. While Portland Head Light is our most iconic lighthouse (and the most photographed lighthouse in the country), we recommend visiting multiple if you ever visit The Pine Tree State. 

Lighthouses are not just found in Maine, of course. There are over 1,000 lighthouses across the U.S., and Michigan contains the most at over 120. All lighthouses that are still in use today are automatically operated, with the exception of one: the Boston Lighthouse on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor is a permanently staffed station, for good and perhaps a slightly sentimental reason. It is the first lighthouse to have been built in America.

The first lighthouse in the U.S. to be powered by electricity (as we know it today) was Lady Liberty herself in New York Harbor. That's right, the Statue of Liberty was once used as a lighthouse.

A Nautical Statement

While photos of the lighthouses you visit can be beautifully hung in frames on the wall, there are other ways to incorporate these landmarks into your home furnishings. Our Lighthouse Bracket can be displayed indoors or out for holding a plant, a hanging lantern or even a Lighthouse Bell. Also great for outside, or the entrance to your coastal cottag, is a Wrought Iron Welcome Sign featuring the silhouette of a lighthouse. Nautical inspired rugs and pillows bring a historical feel to a room while adding comfort to your floors and furniture, while the Wrought Iron Lighthouse Switch Plate is a fun novelty home accent, and would look great in a bathroom or kitchen.