Goat Island Lighthouse

The Last Keeper’s Light in Maine

Goat Island Lighthouse holds a distinction no other lighthouse in Maine can claim: it was the last one in the state to be automated. Until 1990, a Coast Guard keeper and family lived on the island and tended the light by hand, decades after every other lighthouse in Maine had been converted to automatic operation. The local community fought to keep a keeper stationed here, worried that an unmanned island would fall victim to vandalism and neglect. When automation finally came, it marked the end of an era that stretched back to 1835.

The lighthouse sits on Goat Island, a small rocky island at the entrance to Cape Porpoise Harbor, about a mile offshore from the village pier. The original station was established in 1835, though construction records suggest the first tower was completed and lit in 1833. That initial rubblestone tower stood 20 feet tall. In 1859, the Lighthouse Board replaced it with the current 25-foot conical brick tower and a new keeper’s house, upgrading the light to a fifth-order Fresnel lens. The tower places the light 38 feet above sea level.

Cape Porpoise Harbor is one of the most picturesque working harbors on the Southern Maine coast. Lobster boats fill the mooring field, trap buoys dot the water, and the lighthouse stands as a quiet sentinel beyond the harbor islands. The scene has not changed much in a century.

What to See

From land, the best view of Goat Island Lighthouse is from the Cape Porpoise Pier at the end of Pier Road. The lighthouse is clearly visible across the harbor, especially with binoculars or a telephoto lens. The pier itself is a pleasant spot to linger, with lobster boats coming and going and the smell of salt and bait in the air. The Wayfarer, a small restaurant at the pier, serves seafood with direct views of the lighthouse.

For a closer look, several boat tour operators offer trips from the Kennebunkport area that pass by or stop at Goat Island. New England Eco Adventures runs a two-hour lighthouse tour that travels along the Kennebunkport coastline past Walker’s Point (the Bush family compound) and into Cape Porpoise Harbor, with a dock stop at Goat Island for a guided tour of the station. Schooner Eleanor offers sailing trips that include views of the lighthouse from the water.

If you visit by boat and the resident keepers are home, they may offer an informal tour of the tower. The island is owned and maintained by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, which has a caretaker presence during the summer months. A small dock on the island is accessible at or near high tide.

The island itself is small and rocky, with a few outbuildings including a boathouse built in 1905. The keeper’s house sits next to the tower, and the station retains much of its historic character. Nesting seabirds use the rocky shores, adding to the island’s wild feel.

When to Go

Photography Tips

The lighthouse is about a mile from the pier, so bring a telephoto lens (200mm or longer) for detail shots of the tower. A standard zoom will capture the broader harbor scene with the lighthouse in the background. The light is best in the early morning, when the eastern sun illuminates the tower and the harbor is calm. Late afternoon and sunset light works well from the water, where tour boats position for the western glow behind the mainland.

From the pier, the classic composition includes lobster boats in the foreground, trap buoys on the water, and the lighthouse beyond. On foggy mornings, the lighthouse appears and disappears in the mist, creating atmospheric shots that capture the feel of the Maine coast.

What’s Nearby

Cape Porpoise is a village within the town of Kennebunkport. The main Kennebunkport village, with its shops, galleries, and restaurants along Dock Square, is about a 10-minute drive south. Walker’s Point, the Bush family estate, sits on the coastline between the two villages and is visible from Ocean Avenue.

For other lighthouse stops, Nubble Light in York is about 25 minutes south, and Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth is about 35 minutes north. Together they make an excellent Southern Maine lighthouse day trip.

The Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, which manages Goat Island, also maintains trails and conservation lands throughout the area. Their website lists properties open for public hiking and walking.

Getting There

From I-95, take Exit 25 (Kennebunk) and follow Route 35 east to Kennebunkport. Continue through Dock Square and follow Route 9 (Main Street) north to Cape Porpoise. Turn right onto Pier Road and follow it to the public pier. Free parking is available in a small lot near the pier and along the road. The drive from Portland takes about 35 minutes. From I-95, the exit to the pier is about 15 minutes.

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