Plum Island Light – Newburyport Harbor Light

The Historic Plum Island Lighthouse

The Plum Island Light also know as the Plum Island Lighthouse and the Newburyport Harbor Light, was the 13th lighthouse to be constructed in the U.S. and is an essential component of Newburyport’s maritime history. The Newburyport Harbor Light was critical for ships navigating the treacherous waters of the Merrimack River at the entry point to the Newburyport Harbor. If you are looking for fun things to do in Newburyport, and interested in the city’s rich maritime history, a tour of the Plum Island Lighthouse is highly recommended on the Newburyport VIP list of fun Things To Do! Scroll down to view the 2026 Newburyport Harbor Light tour schedule and register for a tour.

The Newburyport Harbor was important to the U.S. for whaling, fishing, shipbuilding, and trade, thus creating a strong need for the Plum Island Light. There were many ships coming in and out of Newburyport Harbor. Before the lighthouse was built, fires on the beach in Plum Island were used to guide mariners. It was the business people of Newburyport in the 1780s that paid to build the Plum Island Lighthouse. President George Washington appointed the first keeper of the Plum Island Lighthouse, Abner Lowell and three generations of Lowells served as lighthouse keepers at the Plum Island Lighthouse.

Severe storms and shifting sands caused the original Plum Island Lighthouse to be moved several times. The current lighthouse dates from 1898. The Newburyport Harbor Light was first lit in 1788 with a lantern burning whale oil and has been powered by electricity since 1927. The last keeper left the Lighthouse in 1951 when the light was automated. Today the lighthouse flashes a green light to guide boaters.  It is still very important to have this lighthouse in operation to guide boats safely through the turbulent area where the Merrimack River meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Well known for its strong currents and significant fluctuation in tide levels and direction, the area where the Atlantic Ocean meets the lower Merrimack River is known today as the Mouth of the Merrimack River.The Plum Island Lighthouse is located across from the Plum Island playground at the northern point of Plum Island.

Today the lighthouse is owned by the City of Newburyport. Friends of Plum Island Light lease it from the City and care for it. The grounds are open to the public. The Friends of Plum Island Light offer periodic public tours inside the Plum Island Lighthouse.

The picture perfect Plum Island Lighthouse is one of the great lighthouses to visit in New England and the North Shore.  It’s a “must see” for any lighthouse enthusiast and worth the visit if you are in the Greater Newburyport area. For more general information on Plum Island attractions visit our Plum Island Beach page and check out our Plum Island Parking article for parking lot information.

Directions:

From the Newburyport Harbor Range Lights on Water Street in downtown Newburyport, continue east on Water Street for 1.3 miles, where Water Street will become Plum Island Turnpike. Follow the turnpike for 1.8 miles to Plum Island, and then turn left on Northern Boulevard. Continue on Northern Boulevard for 1.3 miles to the northern end of the island, where you will see the lighthouse on your left.

Plum Island Light House

263 Northern Boulevard
Newburyport, MA 01950
FriendsofPILight@gmail.com

The Friends of Plum Island Light maintain the lighthouse and host lighthouse tours.

2026 Plum Island Light Tours:

Visit the Friends of Plum Island Light Tours to Reserve a 15 minute time slot between 10 am – 1 pm and to view more details.

May 30th
June 20th
July 18th
August 22nd
September 19th
October 3rd

Each 15 minute time slot is limited to 5 people and only one person in the group needs to sign up. Reserve a time in advance and be aware that there aren’t any rain dates. All attendees must be a minimum of 5 years old and at least 42 inches high, and be wearing sturdy shoes.

A suggested donation of $5 per person is greatly appreciated to help care for the Plum Island Lighthouse. If tours are fully booked, sometimes there might be opportunities to book a private tour, depending on various factors such as availability of volunteers.