The St Croix river was once a major means of transporting lumber between the neighboring towns of Eastport and Calais, Maine. Part of the river, called the Narrows, was particularly difficult for steamers to navigate. In 1802, a red lantern was hung from a tree on the American side of the river, while on the Canadian side, two lights were hung. In 1909, a proper lighthouse was built in it’s stead.

The lighthouse got its name from a local man, Colin C. Whitlock who tended the lantern pre-lighthouse. The lighthouse became automated in 1969, and a keeper was no longer needed.

Currently, the keeper’s house, a 1931 pyramidal wooden fog bell tower, and the original oil house where kerosene was once kept for the light are all privately owned and inaccessible to the public. This beautiful lighthouse can still be viewed from the Pikeswoods rest area.