Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse sits at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine. The light station is automated, and the tower, beacon, and foghorn are maintained by the United States Coast Guard, while the former lighthouse keepers' house is a maritime museum within Fort Williams Park.

Construction began in 1787 at the directive of George Washington, and was completed on January 10, 1791. Whale oil lamps were originally used for illumination. In 1855, following formation of the Lighthouse Board, a fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed; that lens was replaced by a second-order Fresnel lens, which was replaced later by an aero beacon in 1958. That lens was updated with an DCB-224 aero beacon in 1991.

The 400 watt metal halide lamp is rated for 20,000 hours and produces 36,000 lumens of light at 200,000 candlepower.

Location

1000 Shore Road
Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland County
Maine, USA

Getting There

It is approximately 6 miles south of Portland, Maine. Here are some options for getting there by public transportation:

Bus: You can take the METRO bus from Portland to Cape Elizabeth and then walk to the lighthouse. Take Route 21 bus from Monument Square in Portland to the Cape Elizabeth Town Hall stop. From there, it's about a 1.5-mile walk to the lighthouse. You can also take the Route 24 bus from Portland to the Cape Elizabeth Transfer Station, which is about a 2-mile walk from the lighthouse.

Shuttle: There are several shuttle companies that offer transportation to the Portland Head Light from Portland, including the Portland Discovery Land and Sea Tours and the Maine Brew Bus. These shuttles are typically seasonal and may require advance reservations.

Taxi or ride-sharing service: You can also take a taxi or ride-sharing service like Uber or Lyft from Portland to the Portland Head Light. This is a convenient option but can be more expensive than taking the bus or shuttle.

Bike: Another option is to bike to the Portland Head Light from Portland. There are several bike rental shops in Portland that offer daily rentals. The Eastern Trail, a 65-mile trail that runs from South Portland to Kittery, passes by the lighthouse and offers a scenic route for bikers.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Maine that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.