A few weeks ago, we went to New Hampshire to volunteer at Shire Sharing. After eating at Rudders Public House, it was late so, we decided to stay the night in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. One tip about hotels in Portsmouth, if you go closer to the airport (which is just a few miles from the shore) you will find great accommodations with many amenities and all for much less. After we awoke and had our breakfast, we thought, “with us being so close to Maine, why not day trip into the state and explore?”
So that is just what we did. I did some quick searches, found an iconic destination and off we went. Our journey took us up the Maine Coast on Hwy 1. We could have easily chosen Interstate 95 (toll road), but we wanted to take the scenic route. And Hwy 1 brought us along a beautiful drive and through many small towns on our way to our destination, Fort Williams, which is located in Cape Elizabeth, Maine (1000 Shore Rd, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107). This is just outside of the vibrant City of Portland, Maine.
Why did I pick Fort Williams? Glad you asked. It is the site of the Portland Head Lighthouse. This is claimed to be the most photographed lighthouse in the world. It was also the first Federally commissioned lighthouse in the United States. We love lighthouses. We love things that are “the most”. And we love seeing things that are “the first.” So, this place had Nomad written all over it and we had to go. The lighthouse is located at Fort Williams Park; a 90 acre park with remnants of old fortifications, railroad tracks and the Goddard Mansion.
We rolled into the park and it could not have been a more perfect New England setting in the late fall. The waves were crashing up against the rocks, it was cold and misting rain. This caused there to be extensive fog in the bay. So, the lighthouse was cranking its light around for ships to see and they had the foghorn going! I know it may sound silly. But we were so excited. We felt like we were in a live postcard.
We explored around the lighthouse reading all of the signs, looking across the bay and taking it all in. We even took a moment to try and visualize what it would look like during the spring with the grass being all green and flowers blooming.
After exploring all around the lighthouse, we drove over to another part of the park to explore the remnants of the fortifications. Noah, Trevor and I hiked along the edge of the coast, over the rocks and up to a door. The door was locked, which made us a little bummed because it actually went into the hill side. We assume it was a supply depot because we also saw pieces of railroad tracks.
We left the door in the hill and ventured to the other side of the cove. This is where remnants of buildings were that was called Battery Erasmus Keyes. There were three buildings in total. One was the commander’s station, another was to provide illumination at night and the third was the control station and store room. This was actually used up through Word War II. One thing the boys and I found cool was the tunnels into the hill that ran under the upper buildings and behind the store rooms. Special Note – If you are afraid of the dark or tight spaces then DO NOT go into these tunnels.
Finally, after this, the last thing was the Goddard Mansion located up on the hill behind the battery. It was completed in 1858 for John Goddard, a successful umber magnate. Goddard served in the 1st Marine Regiment during the Civil War. The mansion was acquired by the US Army in 1896 and used to house enlisted men and their families who were stationed at Fort Williams.
Even though we were cold, wet and a little tired, we really enjoyed our visit to Fort Williams Park. We felt that we experienced what we had always seen on TV and Movies. It was a good day for the Nomads. If you go to Maine, we suggest you stop in and explore the grounds. Safe Travels.
