White Island State Historic Site
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 New Hampshire — The Isles of Shoals Lighthouse — 7 miles offshore on White Island! Built in 1859, this 58-foot lighthouse guided ships through the treacherous waters where Blackbeard reportedly buried treasure. Poet Celia Thaxter grew up here and made the islands famous.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | New Hampshire |
About White Island
White Island State Historic Site preserves the 1820 lighthouse on the Isles of Shoals — 9 miles offshore from Portsmouth. These rocky islands were one of the first European fishing settlements in North America (1614). Author Celia Thaxter’s literary salon here attracted the leading artists and writers of the Gilded Age.
Things to Do
Boat excursions to the lighthouse island, seabird watching, photography, and experiencing the literary heritage of the Isles of Shoals.
Getting There
Accessible only by boat from Portsmouth, Rye, or Hampton harbors. The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company runs seasonal excursions from Portsmouth. Star Island (nearby) hosts conferences and day visitors. The nine islands of the Shoals have been a destination since the 1600s — fishermen, artists, and writers have all been drawn to these remote granite outposts.
History & Ecology
Celia Thaxter’s literary salon on Appledore Island (adjacent to White Island) attracted Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Greenleaf Whittier, and the painter Childe Hassam, whose Impressionist paintings of the island garden are now in major museums. The 1820 lighthouse was automated in 1986. The Isles of Shoals support significant seabird nesting colonies including common terns and great cormorants.
Insider Tips
Lighthouse poet: White Island Light on the Isles of Shoals was tended by Thomas Laighton — whose daughter Celia Thaxter became a famous poet. Pro tip: Thaxter’s salon on Appledore Island attracted artists, writers, and musicians — Hawthorne, Whittier, and Childe Hassam (the painter) all visited. Isles of Shoals: These 9 islands straddle the NH-Maine border — pirates, poets, and painters have all called them home.
Best Time to Visit
Summer: Boat tours to the islands. Fall: Clear ocean views. Spring: Migrating birds on the islands. Winter: Dramatic from shore — not accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Isles of Shoals?
The Isles of Shoals are 9 small islands 6 miles off the NH-Maine coast — they were a major fishing station before Plymouth Colony existed. Captain John Smith named them in 1614. The islands have hosted pirates (Blackbeard allegedly buried treasure here), artists (Childe Hassam painted his famous garden series here), and a notorious 1873 murder (the Smuttynose ax murders). Star Island still hosts conferences and retreats.
Wildlife & Nature
White Island State Historic Site — an alternate listing for the White Island Lighthouse on the Isles of Shoals. The lighthouse — first lit in 1821, rebuilt 1859 — guided ships to Portsmouth Harbor for over 165 years. The poet Celia Thaxter (1835-1894) grew up on the Isles of Shoals and wrote “Among the Isles of Shoals” (1873). The surrounding waters support harbor seals, gray seals, and migrating whales.
Nearby Attractions
Star Island — accessible by ferry from Portsmouth — offers day trips and overnight conferences. Portsmouth — 6 miles west — has Strawbery Banke and waterfront dining. Rye Harbor State Park — on the mainland — has coast views of the islands.
