Burnt Coat Harbor

Some say the name of this light comes from a Revolutionary War soldier who burnt his coat as a sign of rebellion. Others say the source is Samuel de Champlain, who called the area "Brule-Cote," or Burnt Coast, presumably because it was much used by Indians with campfires. In any case, the light sits atop a promontory marking the entrance to pretty Burnt Coat Harbor, the island's main port. The town is restoring the light, a tapering brick rectangle. The light is at the end of Lighthouse Road. Swan's Island can be reached by ferry from Bass Harbor on Mt. Desert Island and tours offer views from the water. Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1872.