Burnt Coat Harbor Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse was built in
1872. It's name is a source of debate. Some say it comes from a
Revolutionary War soldier who burnt his coat as a sign of
rebellion. Others say the source is Samuel de Champlain, who
called the area "Brule-Cote," or Burnt Coast, presumably because
it was much used by Indians with campfires. In any case, the
light sits atop a promontory marking the entrance to Burnt Coat
Harbor, the island's main port. The town is restoring the light,
a tapering brick rectangle. The light is at the end of
Lighthouse Road. Swan's Island can be reached by ferry from Bass
Harbor on Mt. Desert Island. Tours offer views from the water.