Portland Head Lighthouse
Fort Williams Park,
1000 Shore Road, Cape Elizabeth, Maine
Built in 1791
Location:
Marking the entrance to Portland Harbor in Casco Bay, off Shore Road from Route 77 in South Portland, inside Fort Williams State Park.
Portland Head Light Web Cam.
Latitude: 43° 37' 24" N
Longitude: 70° 12' 30" W
Historic Stories:
Maine's oldest lighthouse, to one of Maine's busiest ports, Portland Head Lighthouse was erected during George Washington's administration in 1791, as a result of many petitions from merchants after the deaths of two locals in a shipwreck, during a fierce storm in 1787. Its location set atop a rocky cliff on the shoreline marks the picturesque entrance to Maine’s Portland Harbor in Casco Bay.
The beacon's first Keeper, Joseph Greenleaf, was appointed by George Washington in a signed letter, allowing him to live at the location without having to pay rent, but Greenleaf didn't receive a salary for his duties for the first two years, then was given a modest salary. However, two years later he died of a stroke while rowing across Fore River.
Greenleaf's replacement, Barzillai Delano, was a blacksmith by training, but graciously accepted the position and held the job for the next 25 years.
In the early 1800's, after years of complaints from the keeper about water leaks in the house, the superintendent of Massachusetts (this part of current Maine was part of Massachusetts at the time) agreed to fix them and sent a team of carpenters to make repairs. The problem was that when the men arrived, they found the entire year’s worth of oil was being stored in the room they needed to repair, so they had to wait until the following year.
There were four shipwrecks that occurred in the vicinity of the lighthouse, three a very short distance from the lighthouse, and one a few miles south of the lighthouse near Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse. Two of these, the wreck of the Annie C. Maguire, and the wreck of the Bohemian (see Cape Elizabeth light for story) are the most well known and are rather intriguing in their stories.
After the shipwreck of the Bohemian and public outcry, The Portland Board of Trade investigated the rocks and shoals nearby and had bell buoy markers placed as needed. Portland Head Lighthouse's visibility was also examined and improved by raising the tower 20 feet in 1865. A second-order Fresnel lens was also installed to generate a more powerful light.
Portland Head Lighthouse is also known as having four generations of the Strout family in dedicating over 100 years of combined service to the light, including Joshua Strout’s mother’s tenure as housekeeper, at Portland Head Lighthouse. There were many family members of different lighthouses that would be involved in tending a lighthouse, including wives of keepers, or their sons, but rarely there would be four generations of family members servicing at the same lighthouse.
| Longfellow wrote "The Lighthouse" and other poems while relaxing at Portland Head lighthouse. |  Portland Head Lighthouse 1891 Courtesy US Coast Guard |
On April 3, 1875 a fierce storm knocked out the foghorn and temporarily extinguished the lighthouse.
Annie C. Maguire Wrecked On Christmas Eve, in 1886
On a foggy late Christmas eve in 1886, the Strout family were preparing for bed. Suddenly, they were all awakened when the Annie C. Maguire ran aground on the rocks nearby. |
 Wreck of Annie C. Maguire Courtesy of Museum of Portland Head Light |
Keeper Joshua Strout and his son Joseph quickly ran out, followed by Joshua's wife Mary who carried torches to light the area. The men rigged a ladder as a gangplank between the rocky ledges that separated them from the wreck. One by one, Joshua and Joseph helped each of the 18 survivors to the warm safety of the keeper’s house, as the ship lie wedged on the rocks.
Joshua had been notified a few days earlier to watch out for the vessel as its creditors wanted to seize it. He sent word to the sheriff who came to claim the vessel and had the Strout family remove everything that could be salvaged for the creditors.
The sheriff searched the ship’s sea chest for special papers and cash but came up with nothing.
The survivors had been discharged a few days earlier and sent home by the British Vice Counsel. Years later it was discovered that the captain, with the help of his wife, had carried the cash, papers, and other items of value in her hatbox during the rescue.
On his 21st birthday John Strout to decided to paint an inscription to commemorate the location of where years ago the Annie C Maguire wrecked on the rocks close to the lighthouse. He painted the words “In Memory of the Ship Annie C. Maguire, Wrecked on this point Christmas Eve, 1886."
The inscription has been repainted over the years with a more simpler message.
| It has evolved into a more simpler inscription reading “Annie C. Maguire, shipwrecked here, Christmas Eve 1886” which displays today for residents and tourists alike. |  |
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For more explicit details on the wreck of the Annie C. Maquire, or about the four generations of the Strout family of keepers, select the appropriate link at the top of the page, which will take you to my Lighthouse Stories section.
In February 1972 a fierce nor'easter, with winds measuring hurricane strength over 90 miles an hour, caused huge waves that broke a window in the house 25-feet above the rocky ground, ripped down 80 feet of steel guard fence from its concrete foundation, and tore a 2,000 pound bell from its house. The floor of the keeper’s house was covered in mud up to a foot deep.
In 1975 and 1977, there were fierce storms during rare high tides so strong that huge waves washed up to the lantern room and extinguished the light.
In 2013, Portland Head Lighthouse was chosen as one of five New England lighthouses, painted by artist Howard Koslow, for the "Forever" stamp collection sold at all US Postal stations.
Places to Visit Nearby:
Portland is one of the largest seaports in New England, Maine’s largest city, and offers many specialty restaurants, shops, and art galleries at its old port waterfront district and within the city. Portland is also considered the art cultural center of the state with plenty of galleries and museums to visit. You can also follow various urban Portland Trails through the city.
For a unique fun experience, Maine Duck Tours will have you ride their amphibious vehicles through Portland. then, you'll head into the harbor waters and pass by Spring Point Ledge Light and Portland Breakwater (Bug) Lighthouse as part their tours. |
The lighthouse is located inside the expansive 41-acre Fort Williams Park for hiking along the cliff edges, exploring the old fort or just for picnicking and kite flying in its open areas. |
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The tower is not open to the public but visitors can explore the Museum at Portland Head Light at the Keeper’s house. There are many boat tours leaving the Portland waterfront where some pass by Portland Head Lighthouse among other lighthouses out of Portland Harbor, including amphibious vehicles, lobster boats, tour boats, ferries, and sailing vessels.
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Visitors will find windjammer sailing on authentic schooners, whale watching, fishing, lobstering, and lighthouse tours available. |
Casco Bay Lines is a ferry service that provides all kinds of mailboat and specialty cruises all around the various islands in Casco Bay. It's an inexpensive way to get off and explore the islands.
| Once on one of the islands, you may find yourself renting a bike to explore or simply hike along the quiet roads.
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Quiet Rocky Coast |
Odyssey Whale Watch provides whale watching and deep-sea fishing tours. You can also charter special sailing tours aboard a classic 36-foot Hinckley Yawl vessel.
| Check out Eartha, the world’s largest revolving and rotating 3D globe of nearly forty-two feet in diameter at the DeLorme (Map) Headquarters in Yarmouth. It revolves and rotates as if seen from space. |  |
A short distance away you can get back to the outdoors and explore 200 acres of Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park, especially if you want to observe ospreys. The park rangers provide one-hour guided tours. There are lots of parks and preserves for those who want to explore the outdoors, and places to shop.
Driving Directions
- From US Route 1 North outside of Portland to 1A take Route 77 South through South Portland till you come to Shore Road on the left.
- Follow along until you arrive at Fort Williams State Park on the left. You'll also find lighthouse signs along the way.
Contact Info:
Portland Head Light Museum
1000 Shore Road
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
(207) 799-2661
Local Boat Tours
Boat cruises and tours mentioned below may offer many types of cruises. While some may offer specific lighthouse cruises that pass by Portland Head Lighthouse, some will pass by the lighthouse as part of special charters, narrated wildlife and historic tours, while ferrying passengers, during sailing adventures, fishing tours, and other types of excursions.
Portland Discovery
Specific lighthouse cruises like the "Lighthouse Lover's Cruise", and "Sunset Lighthouse Cruise." They also provide a trolley tour of Portland and a lighthouse cruise on Casco Bay for Portland's lighthouses.
Long Wharf
Portland ME
Phone: (207) 774-0808
Lucky Catch Cruises
Lobster boat cruises that pass Portland Head Light. Can also request special excursions.
170 Commercial St.
Portland, Maine 04101
Phone: (207) 761-0941
E-Mail: info@luckycatch.com
Deep Cove Sailing
Measuring 115 feet in length, the Halie & Matthew is one of the largest fiberglass schooners built in Maine with beautiful hardwoods detailing its interior. They provide a 2 1/2- hour cruise along Casco Bay in Portland which includes views of Portland Breakwater (Bug) Light, Spring Point Light, and Portland Head Light.
Berlin Mills Wharf, Portland, Maine
Phone: (207) 420-5682
Email: deepcovesailing@gmail.com
The Portland Schooner Company
They provide two-hour windjammer cruises on Casco Bay in Portland with morning, afternoon, and sunset sails, and private charters that may pass by various lighthouses in Portland Harbor. They use four sailing ships for public and private charters that have been restored to their original condition from the early 1900s and 1930s. The Bagheera, which won races in the 1920s, the Heart's Desire, which was used as a charter vessel along the Eastern seaboard, the Timberwind, which was built in 1931 and used as a pilot vessel, and the 88-foot schooner Wendameen, built in East Boothbay, Maine, and launched in 1912, during the golden era of sail. There are also special event sails from rum history and tasting tours to live music happy hour sails with local artists, and there are overnight excursions.
Maine State Pier, Portland, Maine 04101
Phone: (207) 766-2500
E-mail: sails@portlandschooner.com
Maine Sailing Adventures
For those who want an authentic sailing experience, the 74-foot Frances was built as a replica of a working coastal pilot cutter that sailed the waters of New England nearly 200 years ago. With her mast rising 80-feet above the water using only her five sails and a yawl boat for propulsion, offer morning, afternoon, and sunset 2-hour sails. Special event sails include Wine Sails, Acoustic Sails, and unique Yoga Sails.
Maine State Pier, Portland, Maine
Phone: (207) 967-8809
Books to Explore
To order a signed paperback copy: Available from bookstores in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies, and measured longer than a football field! Portland Harbor became a secondary port after Boston to drop off their massive cargoes. One ship sank in Portland Harbor from catching fire. This book, balanced with plenty of color and vintage images, showcases the historical accounts that followed these mighty ships. These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages. |
My 300-page book, Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses, along with the coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special trips. You'll find over 360 images inside as well. In the book you'll find the stories about the wreck of the Annie C Maguire and the Bohemian that occurred at or near Portland Head Lighthouse, along with lots more attractions. Look inside! |
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This image-rich book contains over 50 stories of famous shipwrecks and rescues around New England lighthouses, and also tales of hauntings. There are more details in the story of the wreck of the Annie C. Maguire and the Bohemian wreck, and about the Strout family. |
You'll find this book and my lighthouse tourism books published by Schiffer Books, or they can be found in many fine bookstores like Barnes and Noble.