Portland Head Light

This distinctive lighthouse is the oldest one in Maine. It sits in Cape Elizabeth on a head of land at the shipping entrance to Portland Harbor. Ordered built by George Washington, it was started in 1787 when Maine was still part of Massachusetts and wasn't completed until 1791. It took so long, because the government was tied up working out the details of how the new nation would be run. After the ninth law was written, the first congress authorized Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, to release funds to complete the lighthouse.

At first builders planned for the structure to stand 58 feet high, but when it was finished, it couldn't be seen in all directions, so they extended it about 20 more feet.The original lamps were powered by whale oil. These were replaced by a Fresnel lens in 1855 , which magnified the illumination and allowed it to reach over greater distances.

During the Civil War, the lighthouse became even more crucial, and it was extended upward another 20 feet to increase its visibility. Then, in 1883, it was shortened again by 20 feet. Today Portland Head Light stands 80 feet above the land and 101 feet above the normal water level. It's light is visible for around 28 miles.

Although the light keeper's house has been turned into a maritime museum, the lighthouse still functions, but it is now automated. The keeper's house and grounds are owned by the town of Cape Elizabeth, and the beacon and fog signal are owned and operated by the U.S. Coastguard. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and is well worth a visit.

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