For more than a century, Maine's lighthouses have stood watch over rocky shores, guiding sailors through fog, storms, and darkness. Their beauty and history have inspired countless artists, but none more celebrated than renowned coastal painter Nathaniel Winslow, whose collection of lighthouse oil paintings became one of the most treasured exhibits at the Maine Coastal Heritage Museum.
The exhibit, “Beacons of the Maine Coast,” featured six original paintings depicting some of Maine's most iconic lighthouses:
- Bass Harbor Head Light
- Pemaquid Point Light
- Nubble Light
- Owls Head Light
- Portland Head Light
- West Quoddy Head Light
Visitors traveled from across New England to admire the collection. Museum officials considered it the crown jewel of their winter season.
Then came the storm.
On a bitter January night, as snow and wind battered the coast, the museum's security system suddenly went dark. By the time staff arrived the following morning, the gallery walls were empty. The six lighthouse paintings had vanished without a trace.
The theft quickly became known as “The Great Lighthouse Painting Caper,” one of the most talked-about art crimes in Maine history. Despite an extensive investigation, authorities found little evidence. The paintings seemed to have disappeared into the night.
Months passed.
Then, during a routine inspection of an abandoned warehouse near the coast, investigators made an unexpected discovery. Hidden behind stacks of old lobster traps and weathered shipping crates were the missing paintings.
The bad news was that the thieves had removed every title plaque, inventory tag, and identifying mark from the paintings. Worse still, several notes recovered from the warehouse suggested that the criminals had intentionally mixed up the paintings before fleeing, hoping to make identification difficult if the artwork was ever found.
The museum now faces a puzzling challenge. The paintings are safely back in their possession, but no one can determine which lighthouse is depicted in each canvas. Fortunately, investigators recovered a notebook believed to belong to one of the thieves. While the notebook never directly identifies any painting, it contains a series of cryptic clues about the order in which the paintings were stored.
The investigation has reached a critical turning point, and the museum curator needs your help.
The recovered lighthouse paintings were recently transported to a secure warehouse while investigators continue searching for clues. You will first need to visit the warehouse area where the artwork is being stored.
The posted coordinates will take you to a location near the warehouse. Once there, you will be standing in front of a large sign. The bottom section of the sign points the way to the warehouse. Count carefully and record the number of words in the bottom section of the sign that mentions the warehouse as that is the first clue needed to unravel the Great Lighthouse Painting Caper.
With that information, you'll have everything you need to continue the investigation and solve the notebook puzzle that matches each painting to its rightful Maine lighthouse name.
Good luck, Detective. The curator, the museum, and six iconic Maine lighthouses are counting on you!
The notebook puzzle
Museum curators left the paintings in the order that they were found and have labeled the recovered artwork simply as: A, B, C, D, E, and F. Using the clues from the notebook, identify which lighthouse is shown in each of the paintings below. Then match the letter of the painting to the list of lighthouses:
- Bass Harbor Head Light = ?
- Pemaquid Point Light = ?
- Nubble Light = ?
- Owls Head Light = ?
- Portland Head Light = ?
- West Quoddy Head Light = ?
You can use Certitude to validate your solution. Enter the numeric number of words seen previously on the warehouse sign followed by the six painting letters (case and spaces don't matter) to obtain information about finding the cache.
The cache is only available when the visitor center is open so plan your visit accordingly. You must sign the log in order to log this cache as found.
Visitor Center Summer hours (Memorial Day - Columbus Day:
8am - 6pm, 7 days a week
Visitor Center Off Season hours:
9am - 5:30pm, 7 days a week
The Maine State Visitor Information Center in Yarmouth can be accessed from I-295 northbound and Southbound via Exit 17 or from US Route 1 North and South on the northern end of Yarmouth, right at Freeport's front door.
The Information Center is staffed by professional Travel Counselors offering information about destinations, accommodations, services, and travel conditions in Maine. Maps, guides, and other publications are offered free of charge. Information is also available through an interactive digital kiosk that can send details and driving directions directly to visitors' phones. Acadia National Park passes are available for purchase at the information counter. Maine Lottery tickets are available in a vending machine.
Visitors can relax in the cozy seating area and free wi-fi is available. The rest area where the Information Center is located also features 24-hour restrooms and vending machines, a pet exercise area, and picnic tables.