PORTLAND, Maine - By the turn of the 20th century at least 70 lighthouses guarded Maine's seacoast, deep rivers and a lake. Today 64 are still standing. And tomorrow, on the 8th annual Maine Open Lighthouse Day, around two dozen, stretching from Kennebunkport to Lubec, will be open to the public, free of charge.
Maine Office of Tourism spokesperson Jennifer Geiger says Maine's lighthouses are iconic symbols of the state. She says the event is a way for people to enjoy being near the water along Maine's rocky coast, "and also getting kind of a connection to that past and that era when shipbuilding really was so important to Maine's lifeline, and just the whole mariner way of life which is still very prevalent today."
Most participating lighthouses will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can learn more about the event from the American Lighthouse Foundation.