Goat Island Light facts for kids
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| Goat Island Light from Cape Porpoise | |
 Goat Island Light
Location in Maine
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| Location | Goat Island, Cape Porpoise harbor |
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| Coordinates | 43°21′28″N 70°25′30″W / 43.35778°N 70.42500°W |
| Year first constructed | 1835 |
| Year first lit | 1859 (current tower) |
| Automated | 1990 |
| Foundation | Natural, emplaced |
| Construction | Brick |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical |
| Markings / pattern | White with black lantern |
| Focal height | |
| Original lens | 5th order Fresnel lens |
| Current lens | 12 inches (300 mm) |
| Range | 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) |
| Characteristic | Flashing white 6s. |
| Fog signal | HORN: 1 every 15s |
| Admiralty number | J0218 |
| ARLHS number | USA-325 |
| USCG number | 1-105 |
The Goat Island Light is a historic lighthouse located off Cape Porpoise in southern Maine. It stands near the town of Kennebunkport. This lighthouse was built to help guide ships safely into Cape Porpoise Harbor.
The first lighthouse on Goat Island was set up in 1835. Later, in 1859, the current brick tower was built. It uses a special type of light called a Fresnel lens to shine brightly. A home for the lighthouse keeper was added to the island in 1860.
In 1990, the United States Coast Guard made the lighthouse automatic. This means it no longer needs a keeper to live there and operate the light. Today, the lighthouse is still active and helps guide boats. The buildings on the island are cared for by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.
You can see Goat Island Light from the shore in Cape Porpoise Harbor. It's just off State Route 9 north of Kennebunkport. You can also view it from a boat. The island itself is usually closed to the public, except for special visits.
Contents
What Makes Goat Island Light Special?
Goat Island is a small, treeless island, about 7.7 acres in size. The lighthouse stands on the southern side of the island. The keeper's house is a short distance north of the tower.
There's also a boathouse and a dock on the western part of the island. A small brick building, called an oil house, is located between the boathouse and the lighthouse tower. This is where the oil for the light was once stored.
The Lighthouse Tower
The lighthouse tower is round and made of brick. The light at the top is about 25 feet (7.6 meters) above the ground. Inside the lantern house, there is a fifth-order Fresnel lens. This type of lens helps to make the light very strong and visible from far away.
A metal walkway and railing go around the top of the lantern house. The tower also has one window. A small workroom with two doors sticks out from the base of the tower.
The Keeper's House
The house where the lighthouse keeper lived is shaped like an "L." It is a wooden building with one and a half stories. It used to have a different type of siding, but now it has clapboard siding. The roof has dormer windows, which were added later. The keeper's house was once connected to the lighthouse tower by a covered walkway.
Other Buildings on the Island
The boathouse is a simple, rectangular building with one story and a sloped roof. It also has clapboard siding. The oil house is a small brick building. It has a sloped roof with a vent at one end to keep the air flowing.
A Look Back: History of the Light
The Goat Island Light was approved in 1833. It was needed to help ships find their way into the harbor at Cape Porpoise. The very first tower built was 20 feet (6.1 meters) tall.
The lighthouse tower and the keeper's house that you see today were both built in 1859. The boathouse was added later, in 1905. These buildings have stood for many years, helping to keep sailors safe.
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Original 1835 tower, USCG photo
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1859 tower, USCG photo
