SHAYNA: THE FOLKS AT NUBBLE LIGHT CLAIM THAT THE LIGHTHOUSE IS THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LIGHTHOUSE IN THE WORLD.
WHO ARE WE TO DISAGREE?
WHAT SETS YORK APART FROM OTHER SOUTHERN MAINE COASTAL COMMUNITIES?
YORK VILLAGE, THE MUSEUMS OF OLD YORK, OR IS IT LONG SANDS BEACH?
THE TOWN IS KNOWN FOR MANY OF ITS SITES, BUT THIS DEFINES YORK.
THE NUBBLE LIGHT HOUSE.
>> IF YOU THINK ABOUT YORK, THIS IS AN ICON THAT REPRESENTS THE TOWN OF YORK.
IT IS THE NUBBLE LIGHT.
SHAYNA: NUBBLE LIGHT IS WHAT EVERYONE CALLS IT, BUT THAT IS IN ITS ACTUAL NAME.
>> IT IS A LOCAL COLLOQUIAL TERM THAT REFERS TO THE END OF SOMETHING, LIKE THE NUB. IT IS THE PEAS BROKEN OFF THE END.
IT IS ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY THE CAPE NEDDICK LIGHT STATION, WHICH IS WHAT THE COAST GUARD CALLS IT.
SHAYNA: MATT ROSENBERG IS THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER, A POST HE BEGAN FIVE YEARS AGO.
>> I APPLIED FROM AN AD IN THE PAPER.
I’M A TEACHER AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A TEACHER, BECAUSE THE LAST GUY DID THIS FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND HE IS A SCHOOLTEACHER.
IT WAS A GOOD FIT WITH THE SCHEDULE.
SO I APPLIED WITHOUT A THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GET IT.
MY DAD WAS IN THE COAST GUARD, SO WE WERE ALWAYS AROUND LIKE HOUSES AND WE GOT TO STAY IN A LIGHTHOUSE ONCE.
WE WERE IN BEAUTIFUL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY THAT HAD LIKE HOUSES , BUT I NEVER, IT DIDN’T OCCUR TO ME THAT THEY’LL IS A JOB ANYMORE, AND IT ISN’T -- THERE AREN’T A LOT OF LIGHT KEEPERS.
NOBODY HAS LIVED THERE SINCE THE COAST GUARD LEFT IN 1988.
I TRY TO KEEP THE LIGHTHOUSE LOOKING LIKE SOMEONE LIVES THERE.
I HAVE MADE IT LOOK THAT WAY.
IT IS ONE OF THE NEWER LIKE HOUSES IN THE AREA -- LIGHT HOUSES IN THE AREA.
WE GET LOTS OF SEAGULLS HERE.
WE HAVE SEAGULLS AND CORMORANTS ON THE ISLAND, AND THE OCCASIONAL WHALE. WE ARE COMING INTO HARBOR SEAL PUP SEASON, AND THEY ARE ON THE ROCKS YEAR.
THAT IS A TREAT, BECAUSE PEOPLE GET A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHOW.
SHAYNA: RESIDENTS BELIEVE THE CAPE NEDDICK LIGHT STATION, OR NUBBLE LIGHT, IS THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE DONE THE MATH.
>> WE GET 1700 CARS ON A BUSY DAY.
>> THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE, THREE OR FOUR PICTURES OF PEAS THAT IS THOUSANDS OF PICTURES TAKEN.
SHAYNA: BILL THOMPSON IS A LIGHTHOUSE HISTORIAN.
THIS IS HIS FAVORITE LIGHTHOUSE.
THOMPSON GREW UP IN THE AREA AND SELLS HIS PAINTINGS IN THE GIFT SHOP.
>> THE LIGHTHOUSE SYMBOLIZES LIFE.
IT IS A SOLID STRUCTURE THAT STANDS ALONE.
IT STOOD AGAINST ALL THE ODDS NATURE HAS THROWN AGAINST IT, AND IT POINTS THE WAY.
SHIP CAPTAINS WOULD FIND THE HARBOR AFTER THEY FOUND THE LIGHT.
IT IS THE STORY OF LIFE AND A STORY OF BEAUTY.
>> EVERYBODY MAKES A STOP HERE DURING THEIR VISITS, AND PEOPLE COME HERE JUST FOR THIS, OR THEY ARE GOING FURTHER UP AND THEY MAKE A STOP AT THE NUBBLE LIGHT HOUSE.
SHAYNA: GOOD NEWS ABOUT NUBBLE LIGHT, RENOVATIONS BEGIN THIS SUMMER INCLUDING FRESH PAINT FOR THE BUILDING AND THE TOWER.
A NEWS ISN’T AS GOODFOR FIRST-TIME VISITORS.
SCAFFOLDING WILL BLOCK THE VIEW OF THE LIGHTHOUSE.
NEXT, SURFBOARDS MADE IN MAINE, AND PROTECTING THE SMALLEST CREATURES.
>> WE HAVE 50 PLUS SQUIRRELS.