Goat Island Light
Guiding Mariners into the Cape Porpoise Harbor since 1835
Goat Island Lighthouse is an iconic landmark in Cape Porpoise Harbor. It was established in 1835 and has been a beacon for boaters since that time. It has seen shipwrecks, ferocious storms, generations of keepers, countless visitors, Presidents, and the most glorious sunsets in Kennebunkport. Today, Goat Island and Goat Island Lighthouse is owned and maintained by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.
In the blizzard of '78 the walkway that connected the keeper's quarters with the tower was swept out to sea. An historic renovation took place on Goat Island in 2011. The Trust brought the property back to its look in the 1950's. The walkway was rebuilt, the bell tower was reconstructed, and the keeper's quarters were refurbished.
During the summer months, we invite you to visit by boat or you can view the lighthouse from the landing at the end of Pier Road in Cape Porpoise. We have a small dock available for our guests arriving by boat, which is accessible at high tide (and 1-2 hours on either side of the tide). Nick and Amy Lewia, our lighthouse keepers, live in the keepers quarters. If home, they will gladly give you a tour of the tower, but please be mindful that it is also a private residence.
Contact Lighthouse Keepers, Nick and Amy Lewia, to get involved at nlewia@yahoo.com.
You can also stay connected on the Goat Island Lighthouse Facebook Page and the Goat Island Instagram Profile.
History
To learn more about the history of Goat Island Lighthouse, please read Jeremy D'Entremont's overview of the island and its lighthouse here.
1834 - Congress approved $6,000 to build a lighthouse on Goat Island to light the channel into the harbor and light the coast.
1835 - Goat Island Lighthouse was completed and the light was fueled by whale oil for the first few decades. A small stone house for the light-keeper to dwell was also built with the first keeper, Captain John Lord of Kennebunk, was paid $350 per year.
1860 - The lighthouse was remodeled and a new residence was added. A covered corridor from the keeper's home to the lighthouse was also erected.
1860's - Lard oil replaced whale oil as the fuel for the light.
1942-1946 - The US Coast Guard took charge of the light during World War II.
1978 - A blizzard swept the walkway that connected the keeper's quarters to the tower out to sea.
1988 - In March the “Goat Island Light Station” is added to the national register of historic sites.
1998 - In May KCT acquired Goat Island (7.6 acres) and the lighthouse from the United States of America. For many years before this the Trust had a lease agreement on the island and had been maintaining and repairing the island and it's structures.
2008 - Solar array installed with a battery bank to power the light and horn.
2011 - A major restoration brought the buildings back to the way they looked in the 1950's. This included: rebuilding the walkway lost in 1978, reconstructing the bell tour and refurbishing the keeper's quarters.
2018 - Due to the inevitability of the submarine power cable failing, KCT began exploring and studying energy options on Goat Island with Gulf of Maine Institute, University of New England and Kennebunk High School. The program created studied explored clean energy solutions on the island, among many other things. Find out more here: https://youtu.be/VLIUvXb8QxY
November 4, 2022 - The circa 1939 submarine power cable installed from the mainland has failed to bring power to the island failed.
2024 - Solar panels were installed to bring power back to the island, which now runs on solar alone thanks to the battery bank.
United States Lighthouse Society
We have a stamp for your passport! Stop by our headquarters at 57 Gravelly Brook Road, Kennebunkport during the week to get yours!