Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, unites a major historic landscape with public recreation on ninety acres centered on Portland Head Light and the remains of Fort Williams. The lighthouse, begun in 1787 at George Washington’s direction and completed in 1791, remains an active aid to navigation maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. The military post developed from coastal fortifications begun in 1896, expanded after 1900, and served through both world wars before shifting to administrative use and closing in 1964. The grounds also preserve the ruins of Goddard Mansion. Since being designated a park in 1979, the site has become one of Maine’s most visited places.