Camden, always a perennial favorite among Maine tourists, has been a bustling town since its early years in the 1800s. The natural harbor attracted shipbuilders and shipping businesses throughout the century. Turning out a variety of manufactured goods, the town kept pace with its southern neighbor, Rockport. The harbor, lying against the rise of Camden Hills, appears as a peaceful scene with hundreds of boats secured to their moorings.
   A small island, located at the entrance to Camden Harbor, was named in the memory of Cyrus H.K. Curtis, publisher of the Saturday Evening Post. This view captures the Curtis Island Lighthouse, perched on its rocky ledge and shrouded in late afternoon mist. It's days like this that remind us all of the importance of Maine's abundant lighthouses. Maine's signature rocky shores add to the coastal beauty, but they tend to be navigational nightmares lying below the water's surface. Fog signals and lighthouses became the mariner's friends, working well for over a hundred years.
   The 25 foot Curtis Island Lighthouse was the second built on the island. The historic light-station, dating back to 1896, was finally conveyed to the town of Camden in 1973. The U.S. Coast Guard still maintains this active aid to navigation and stands as a key part of the well marked route in and out of the harbor.

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