Maine Lighthouse Guide: Portland Head Light - Mainely Parents

A Parent’s Guide to Maine’s Oldest Lighthouse: Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in Maine and one of the most commonly photographed lighthouses in the U.S. Here’s a complete guide to visiting.

August 30, 2019

byKeating Bartlett

Location:

Cape Elizabeth, Maine

Established:

1791

Latitude / Longitude:

43°37’23.2″N / 70°12’28.4″W

Tower Height:

80 Feet

Portland Head Light is one of the most commonly photographed lighthouses in the United States and is by far the most popular one to visit here in Maine. It is located in Fort Williams Park, about 20 minutes south of Portland in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. From Portland Head Light, you can also view Spring Point Ledge to your left (North) as well as Ram Island Ledge Light directly in front of you. On a clear day, you can also see Halfway Rock light station which is located about 10 miles off the coast. Finally, to your right (South), you can see Cape Elizabeth light.

Portland Head Light / Fort Williams Park is a popular destination for tourists as well as locals. It attracts nearly one million visitors each year and is home to numerous special events including the TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race (which I highly recommend adding to your Maine running bucket list if that’s your jam!), Family Fun Day, and the Labor Day Art Show. Some use the gorgeous backdrop for small wedding ceremonies or private and corporate events as well. It’s an incredible place to visit if you’re in the Portland area and it never gets old no matter how many times you visit!

Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine

History of Portland Head Light

If history isn’t your thing, you can scroll past this section to our visitors tips!

At the time of construction, Maine was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Portland had become one of the busiest ports in America by the late 1700s. After American independence from British rule in 1776, the town of Cape Elizabeth posted a guard at Portland Head in order to warn people of incoming British attacks.

Construction on the lighthouse began in 1784 and was completed in 1791, making it the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine. It was lit with 16 whale oil lamps and was first lit on January 10, 1791. Captain Joseph Greenleaf was appointed the first keeper by President George Washington. On Christmas Eve in 1886, the Annie C. Maguire struck the ledge at Portland Head. The cause of the crash is still unknown as visibility was not an issue that night.

Over the years, management of the lighthouse has shifted from the U.S. Lighthouse Board (now known as the Bureau of Lighthouses as of 1910) in 1852 to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939, and finally to the Town of Cape Elizabeth in 1993. The U.S. Coast Guard maintains the light and the fog signal, but the remainder of the property is managed by the Town of Cape Elizabeth.

History of Fort Williams Park

Fort Williams originally operated as a military installation for the Army. Construction of defensive structures began in 1873, but it wasn’t formally established as a “military reservation” until 1891. The reservation became a sub-post of Fort Preble and then became an independent post a few months later. The post was formally named Fort Williams in 1899.

Although batteries were completed in time for the Spanish-American War, they never ended up being used. Fort Williams actually never even saw combat. Instead, the fort houses and trained troops and served as a command post and headquarters for the military.

By the early 1960s, the Fort was rarely being used anymore and was closed down completely in 1963. Bronze plaques can be found throughout the park, explaining the various remains of buildings and batteries along with further details on the history of the Fort. Cape Elizabeth purchased the 90-acre property on December 1, 1964, for $200,000 and in 1976, the Town officially designated it a park.

How to View the Lighthouse

Since Portland Head Light is on the mainland and owned by the Town of Cape Elizabeth, viewing it is incredibly easy. You can go right up to it and touch it! The lighthouse is located in Fort Williams Park which is open 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset. If you want a different angle, there are plenty of boat tours out of Portland that take you right by Portland Head Light (these tours will also bring up close to Ram Island Ledge Light and Halfway Rock light station).

When to visit

While the park is open 365 days a year, the summer and autumn months are by far the best times of year to visit. Summer tends to be the busiest time of year to visit due to it being tourist season, but the gorgeous weather makes it so much more enjoyable to be outdoors. Autumn is another great time of year to visit with all the fall foliage and the crowds during these months aren’t nearly as bad as the summertime. This makes for cool temps and beautiful fall hikes along the coast.

As for the time of day, we highly recommend visiting in the afternoon/early evening. While the afternoons tend to be a bit busier, it can be super foggy on the coast in the early mornings. Because of this, it can be really hard to view the full lighthouse and see the ocean views. So be mindful of the weather and what time of day you’re visiting.

What to see and do

Visit the Children’s Garden
Take a trolley tour
Tour Battery Blair
Find geocaches
Watch a soccer game or tennis match
Play at either of two playgrounds

Battery Keyes
Visit Goddard Mansion
Dip your toes in the water
Enjoy food from the food trucks
Fly a kite
Hike the trails

Have a picnic overlooking the ocean
Check out the museum and gift shop
Climb the rocks
Go sledding in the winter

Parking

As of July 1, 2019, you do have to pay for parking at Fort Williams Park. Metered parking is charged from 8 am to 5 pm and is $2 per hour (with a 2-hour minimum). A full-day parking pass is $10 and a season pass is $15 so if you live in the area or visit frequently, it doesn’t hurt to have a season pass! All passes are purchased at the meters at Fort Williams Park and only credit cards are accepted for payment.

All proceeds from the parking meters are used for improvements to the park property (i.e. safety improvements along the cliff walk, improved pedestrian circulation, restoration of historical structures and views, expanded parking, and more).

There is also plenty of parking here as well so unless there’s a big event going on, it’s usually very easy to find a good parking spot. We typically park right next to the Bite Into Maine food truck since this lot is right in the middle of everything.

Our tips for visiting

Bring a jogging stroller – If you are visiting with young children, I highly recommend bringing a jogging stroller (or babywear if that’s your preference). The trails are super stroller-friendly, but when our girls were younger, our jogger definitely worked a lot better than our basic travel stroller.

Also, keep in mind that there can be a lot of walking depending on how long you’re staying or what you’re doing. So if your little ones don’t last long on their feet, then that’s another great reason to have the stroller handy! The trails are also very easy to walk so if you have young children who don’t like strollers, then it’s more than okay to let them walk here. It’s totally personal preference!

Eat at Bite Into Maine – There are a few food trucks at Fort Williams, but out of all of them, we highly recommend Bite Into Maine. They by far have one of the best lobster rolls I’ve ever had and I end up buying one every single time we visit.

If seafood isn’t your thing, then we recommend packing a picnic. There are plenty of restaurants in the area, but it’s also fun to have snacks and even a meal in the grass overlooking the water. Our kids love picnics!

Take the time to explore – I’d set aside at least an hour or so in order to walk the trails and see everything Fort Williams has to offer. The views are gorgeous and there’s so much history here so it can be easy to soak up a lot of time here. Walk the trails, eat lunch, dip your toes in the water, explore the forts, visit the museum and gift shop. Do it all!

Bring a light jacket or sweater – This is applicable even in the summer months. The coast can very easily be 10+ degrees cooler and the ocean breezes can make it even chillier. Even as a local, we bring sweatshirts whenever we visit just in case they’re needed.

Pets – Pets are welcome at Fort Williams as long as they’re on a leash. There are a few areas throughout the park where they can go off-leash, but be sure to check out the map for those locations.

Bring bags for trash – There are no trash cans on site. Fort Williams has a carry-in/carry-out policy so anything you bring into the park must leave with you. If you’re planning on having a picnic or another activity that may result in trash, then I highly recommend bringing a small bag or two for trash purposes.

Restrooms – There are no permanent restrooms in the park. Instead, there are portable restrooms located throughout the park that are cleaned and inspected daily. Keep this in mind if you have little ones!

Portland Head Light is easily one of the easiest (and most fun) lighthouses to visit with kids. It’s easy to get to, easy to park, and so easy to explore. Whether you’re visiting for an hour to even a whole afternoon, it’s a fun outing for kids of all ages.