Temporary staircases were installed at Portsmouth Harbor Light on July 23, 2026. The completed project enables public access to resume at the historic site!
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
On July 23, 2026, the J.B. Leslie Company completed the installation of two temporary staircases at Portsmouth Harbor Light Station, New Castle, New Hampshire – a project contracted with ALF’s chapter, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses.
American Lighthouse Foundation staff members assisted the J.B. Leslie Company with the installation process, while staff also carried out work on the grounds around the light tower, oil house and the staircases themselves.
Tours had ceased at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse following a 2022 winter storm, which damaged the wooden footbridge. The footbridge spanned the sand and gravelly beach from Fort Constitution to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse – a distance of about 70-feet.
Then in January 2024, back-to-back storms destroyed what remained of the footbridge, while also inflicting harm on the stone piers that supported the wooden span.
And now, after three years of working towards a solution for restoring public access, we are excited to report that tours of the 1878 Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse have started again in August 2026.
Thank you to the Lighthouse Credit Union and the New England Lighthouse Lovers, Inc. for your generous support of this project!
Jim Leslie (top) and Bill Hoffman of the J.B. Leslie Company work on assembling a staircase leading down from Fort Constitution.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
(L to R) Jim Leslie of the J.B. Leslie Company and Dominic Trapani of ALF work on leveling the staircase leading down from Fort Constitution.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Dominic Trapani (top), Bob Trapani and Bill Hoffman work on positioning a temporary staircase at the base of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.
(Photo by Ann-Marie Trapani)
Dominic Trapani of the American Lighthouse Foundation shoveled lots of gravel stone during for raising the grade at the base of each staircase.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Ann-Marie Trapani levels out the gravel stone beach where visitors will be walking to access the lighthouse.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
The handiwork of American Lighthouse Foundation staff who worked to level and clean-up the gravel beach at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. The grounds are ready to welcome visitors now!
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
A view of the temporary staircase at the base of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
Mission accomplished! New staircases have been installed and the grounds made ready for tours to begin at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in August 2026. (L to R) Jim Leslie, Bill Hoffman, Ann-Marie Trapani and Dominic Trapani.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
One more staircase was established at the lighthouse…this one inside the walls of Fort Constitution thanks to some wonderful sibling teamwork!
On May 30, 2026, Melissa Butler and Chris Butler volunteered to build a wood staircase for ALF’s Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses – and what a great job they did! The work by Melissa and Chris was the first phase of restoring public access at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, New Hampshire.
(Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.)
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