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Portland Man Buys New England's Tallest Lighthouse

YORK, Maine — A Maine man is buying New England's tallest lighthouse for $78,000.

A federal government spokeswoman says the General Services Administration has accepted a bid to buy the Boon Island Light Station off of York, Maine. The winning bidder is Art Girard of Portland, Maine.

The administration closed out an auction of the 133-foot lighthouse tower on Aug. 17. More than a dozen bidders vied for the 1855-built lighthouse. It is located on a tiny rocky island six miles off of the Maine coast.

The federal government had to approve Girard's bid, which was the highest of the bunch. The lighthouse is still active as a navigational aid. It is one of 57 active lighthouses in Maine and is the tallest in New England, though not the highest above sea level.