Lighthouses in Maine
With 65 historical lighthouses still standing and spread out along 5,000 miles of coastline, inlets and islands, Maine is commonly referred to as The Lighthouse State. These lighthouses have acted as beacons of light for sailors for hundreds of years, guiding sailors and fishermen safely in to harbors along the rocky Maine coastline. Today, lighthouses are an important part of Maine's history and are popular tourist attractions. Although many Maine lighthouses are not accessible on land, lighthouse boat tours are an ideal way to see these attractions and get the best photographs. Some Lighthouses have museums on their oceanfront grounds that offer insight to the Light's rich history of lighthouse keeping, while other Lighthouses are now quaint inns or part of large state park grounds.
Greater Portland Lighthouses
Spring Point Ledge 1897 – 54-foot white brick and cast-iron cylindrical tower on breakwater. West side main channel as you enter the Portland Harbor, South Portland.
Portland Breakwater 1855/1875 - 20-foot off-white cast-iron cylindrical tower atop octagonal pier (also known as Bug Light). West side main channel, Portland Harbor, South Portland.
Ram Island Ledge 1905 – 77-foot gray granite conical tower. North side Portland Harbor entrance, Portland, view from Portland Head.
Portland Headlight 1791 – Located on the south side Portland Harbor entrance in Cape Elizabeth. Portland Head Light is one of the most premier lighthouses to visit in America let alone Maine. It also comes with a rich history, as it was commissioned in 1791 by George Washington, becoming Maine's oldest lighthouse. Located in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, this 80-foot white fieldstone and brick conical tower offers visitors a beautiful location for picnics, hiking, relaxing in the park, or visiting the museum built in the former Lighthouse Keeper's quarters. Portland Light offers views of beautiful Portland Harbor, the white fieldstone and brick conical tower stands 101 feet above sea level.
Cape Elizabeth - East Light 1827/1874 - 67-foot white cast-iron conical tower, on Staples Point, southeast tip of Cape Elizabeth, view from Dyer Point, active; West Light, 300 yards north, privately owned and inactive.
Halfway Rock – 77-foot white granite conical tower, 10 miles east of Cape Elizabeth off Harpswell Neck, can be seen from Portland Head or land's end, Route 24, Bailey Island.
South of Portland Lighthouses
Cape Neddick 1879 – 41-foot white cast-iron conical tower, on summit of Cape Neddick Bubble, a small offshore rocky islet. Off Route 1A, York. Known as "Nubble Light". Because of its rocky offshore location, the lighthouse grounds are inaccessible to visitors, but its location just a few hundred feet off York Beach make it a beautiful and photogenic attraction for tourists and is widely regarded as one of the most photographed lighthouses in America. Nubble Light is also known for its unique red light, which still shines today.
Boon Island 1811/1855 – 133-foot gray granite conical tower, 6 miles east of York Beach.
Goat Island 1833/1859 – 25-foot white cast-iron cylindrical tower. Cape Porpoise Harbor entrance, Kennebunkport.
Wood Island 1808/1858 – 49-foot white granite conical tower. Saco River entrance, Biddeford Pool, Biddeford.