What to Do

Adjacent to Fort Williams Park, The Portland Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse in America, and the oldest in Maine.

Fort Williams Park is spread across more than 90 acres of recreational area, providing visitors with a plethora of activities to indulge in. You can plan a picnic, fly a kite, walk along the pathways, explore the rocky beach, tour the Arboretum, take a walk on the cliffside loop, or enjoy the playground. Before your visit, you can print out our scavenger hunt or pick one up at the Greeter's Shed, located in Central Parking. There are also three food vendors - Gorgeous Gelato, Bite Into Maine, and Cousins Maine Lobster - offering a variety of delicious food options, such as lobster rolls, sandwiches, and gelato.

Please be aware that Fort Williams Park follows a carry-in/carry-out policy, which means there are no trash receptacles in the park. Additionally, smoking is strictly prohibited in the park. For visiting hours and directions, please visit our Contact Page.

The Lighthouse

On days when skies are overcast, and fog settles in, you might hear the melancholy sound of the fog horn reminding us of the importance of light stations and the dedication of men and women who served through the years.

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The Ecology Project

In 2007, citizens concerned about the fragile state of the Park’s ecology envisioned an arboretum project as a way to restore the Park’s horticultural beauty and ecological health.

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Battery Keyes

Battery Keyes was one of the last two batteries built at the fort in 1906. The small battery was designed to defend against small, fast attack boats in a point-and-shoot manner.

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Goddard Mansion

Predating the fort, the mansion was designed and built by noted New York architect Charles A. Alexander for local businessman John Goddard, briefly a volunteer army colonel at the start of the Civil War in 1861.

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Battery Blair

In the largest class of gun batteries available in the nation’s arsenal, the reinforced-concrete Battery Blair was mounted with two Breechloading Rifles on Disappearing Carriage Mounts, each firing a 12-inch diameter, 1070-pound shell up to eight miles.

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Beach Area

Located on the north side of the entrance road is a small rocky beach, Ship Cove, with a great view of Ram Island Ledge Light located in Casco Bay. At low tide, a small sandy beach appears.

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Children’s Garden

The Children’s Garden at Fort Williams Park is a landscape full of daring adventures, quiet contemplation, great mysteries waiting to be revealed, and small familiarities to offer comfort.

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