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Life’s journey will occasionally come full circle – embracing once more a special place that initially moved our spirit and set aglow a path of memorable undertakings and accomplishments. Remarkably, the genesis of our lighthouse odyssey is sometimes the destination too.
This was certainly true for Timothy Harrison, one of the brightest “lights” in the lighthouse history and preservation community for thirty-four years. Life forever changed for Tim in 1989, when his wife Kathleen Finnegan-Harrison and he embarked on a trip together along the Maine coast.
The first Maine lighthouse Tim saw was West Quoddy Head in Lubec. At the time, Tim could not have known what an important role this lighthouse would eventually play in his life. Of course, this one excursion turned into many trips, as well as countless hours of research. Two years later, the couple published a volume highlighting the lighthouses of Maine and New Hampshire, which ended up gracing the book shelves of many lighthouse enthusiasts.
It was onward and upward from there!
Lighthouse Digest, a lighthouse news and history magazine that has delighted tens of thousands of readers for over three decades, first set sail for new lighthouse horizons in 1992. An online lighthouse database – containing over 8,200 lighthouses from all over the world, was another resource that followed in the footsteps of the magazine.
Yet Tim Harrison was not content to simply research and write about lighthouses. He desired to be an active participant and leader in the preservation of lighthouses as well. To this end, he became one of the founders of the nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation and served as the organization’s first President from 1994 to 2007.
It was during this time when Tim spearheaded the effort to save and restore Little River Lighthouse in Cutler – a Downeast Maine historic treasure that found no other friend prior, who was interested in helping the light station in its time of need. Tim more than helped – he gave Little River new life and purpose.
While Tim was forging many achievements in lighthouse preservation and education, the sparkle of artifacts from the era of the United States Lighthouse Service did not escape his eye. Tim loved vestiges of our lighthouse past and this passion inspired him to create the American Lighthouse Foundation’s Museum of Lighthouse History in Wells, Maine, whose collections were later merged with the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland to form the largest lighthouse museum collection of its kind in the country.
Where Tim found the time to make such a meaningful difference with lighthouses, given his extensive involvement, is beyond anyone. Yet there is more. With Tim, there was always more! He also authored 14 books on the subject of lighthouses, appeared in numerous lighthouse documentaries and regularly interacted with the press on behalf of lighthouses. A wonderful lighthouse ambassador he was!
Then there was Tim’s concern for the legacy of our nation’s lighthouse keepers. Tim always felt that lightkeepers did not receive the proper recognition for their incredible contribution to humankind. And he was right. So, in 2011, Tim created the U.S. Lighthouse Service Memorial Marker Program to honor the service and memory of lighthouse keepers. To date, a USLHS marker graces nearly 200 gravesites of lighthouse keepers across America.
As a national leader in the lighthouse preservation movement – one who set new precedents and accomplished many a goal, his contributions did not go unnoticed. In 2006, the United States Coast Guard presented Tim with a Meritorious Public Service Award for his amazing efforts. Eight years later, the American Lighthouse Council presented Tim with the prestigious F. Ross Holland Award.
However, as mentioned at the outset, life has a tendency of coming full circle – and so it did for Tim at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Where does one begin when it comes to Tim Harrison and the impact he made at West Quoddy Head Light?
For starters, Tim Harrison served on the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association’s (WQHLKA) board of trustees for six years prior to being elected to serve as the President of the WQHLKA board in 2021. Through those years, Tim’s leadership and lighthouse experience proved invaluable to the organization.
As President, Tim was driven to create a new museum at the Visitor Center that would not only exhibit an array of U.S. Lighthouse Service artifacts and interpretive panels, but also teach countless thousands of visitors about the proud legacy of the Lighthouse Service. And create a fine Museum he did!
“As the president of the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association board of trustees, Tim had dedicated himself to preserving the important history of this iconic landmark,” said Kimberly Ashby, WQHLKA Executive Director. “Tim’s passion for the United States Lighthouse Service and West Quoddy Head Lighthouse was unmatched. His love for the area and commitment to sharing its rich history led him to create stunning artifact exhibits in the museum, showcasing the stories of the keepers who tended to the lighthouse over the years.”
Sadly, Tim Harrison passed away on August 19, 2023, but not before making an indelible imprint on the West Quoddy Head Light Keepers Association and the untold numbers of people he touched.
On June 25, 2024, the WQHLKA honored Tim Harrison and his dedication to lighthouses by establishing a plaque inside the Museum he fashioned with expertise and an indomitable passion. Tim’s wife, Kathleen Finnegan-Harrison, was in attendance for the plaque’s unveiling, as were close friends, David and Cheryl Corbett and Donna Corbett. They were joined by WQHLKA board of trustees, staff members and volunteers.
So back to our earlier question – where does one begin when it comes to Tim Harrison and the impact he had at West Quoddy Head Light? All that Tim experienced on a national lighthouse level, all that he learned through the years, and all that he hoped to share still, found a beloved destination in Lubec, Maine, at the majestic West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Back where it all started.
Now that’s quite a story for the lighthouse history books!
“Timothy Harrison’s light will continue to shine on, guiding us in our efforts to preserve the history and heritage of West Quoddy Head Lighthouse,” noted Kimberly Ashby. “His legacy will inspire future generations to appreciate the importance of this historic landmark and the keepers who dedicated their lives to its service.”
Ashby concluded, saying, “Thank you, Timothy Harrison, for your splendid efforts in creating these artifact exhibits and for your unwavering support and love for West Quoddy. Your light will always be a beacon of inspiration for all who visit this cherished place, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse.”
This story appeared in the
Sep/Oct 2024 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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