Driving along the scenic Maine coast toward Boston, we visited many beautiful lighthouses. Most of them featured a classic black-and-white color theme, adding to the charm of the coastal views.
- Owls Head Lighthouse
- Marshall Point Lighthouse
- Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse
- Portland Head Lighthouse
- Whaleback Lighthouse
- Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse (in New Hampshire)
Owls Head Lighthouse – is an active lighthouse located at the entrance to Rockland Harbor within Owls Head State Park. The lighthouse was constructed in 1825 and rebuilt in 1852 as a 30-foot tall cylindrical brick tower on a granite foundation atop a cliff. It features one of the last Fresnel lenses still operating in Maine and stands about 100 feet above sea level. The lighthouse is owned by the U.S. Coast Guard, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
This is a small lighthouse but with amazing views. You can visit the 1854 Keeper’s Quarter’s Museum which features exhibits on Owls Head Light, the Coast Guard’s modern lighthouse keeping role.
Marshall Point Lighthouse – was established in 1832 to guide ships in and out of Port Clyde Harbor in Maine. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1857 by the current 31-foot white brick tower on a granite foundation. Over time, additional structures were added, including a new keeper’s house, oil house, and bell tower, and the light was automated in 1980. Today, the site includes the Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A scene from the movie Forrest Gump was filmed at this lighthouse in 1993. Tom Hanks concluded his cross country run on the runway of Marshall Point Lighthouse. In the museum visitors can read about the filming of the movie.
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse – is the only caisson-style light station in the United States that visitors can walk to and was built to warn mariners of a dangerous ledge in Portland Harbor upon which it sits. Built in 1898, it has been an important part of Portland Harbor and Casco Bay since. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and while the U.S. Coast Guard continues to maintain the light and fog signal, ownership of the structure was transferred to the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust in 1998.
It is one of the smaller lighthouses on the Maine coast and you have to walk a bit on uneven rocks to get to it but the views are amazing.
Portland Head Lighthouse – is a historic lighthouse located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, overlooking the entrance to Portland Harbor in Casco Bay. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. The lighthouse is automated and maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, while the former keeper’s house now serves as a maritime museum within Fort Williams Park.
Whaleback Lighthouse – is a gray, conical 75 feet tall tower on a granite pier, built in 1872, marking the treacherous entrance to the Piscataqua River and accessible by boat tour for close-up views. Managed by the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, it’s a significant navigational aid, guiding ships around the dangerous Whaleback ledge.
Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse – is one of America’s most historic beacons and a beloved icon of the New Hampshire Seacoast and was established in 1771, making it one of the last lighthouses built before the American Revolution. The lighthouse now displays a fixed green light visible for 12 nautical miles, with nearby historic structures including a former keeper’s house and oil house. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
Since 2001, the lighthouse has been cared for by Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. We got a 30-min guided tour of the lighthouse.
Note – This lighthouse is located in the state of New Hampshire at the border of Maine.