Pemberton Point / Windmill Point

189 Main St, Hull, MA 02045, USA

Owned By: Town of Hull

• Directions

Located at the tip of the Nantasket peninsula, this scenic and historic spot close to Hull High School is ideal for fishing, birding, and nature contemplation, with gorgeous views of the Boston Skyline and Boston Harbor Islands. Several interpretive signs outline the area’s history. It is also the location of the Windmill Point Boathouse, part of the Hull Lifesaving Museum.

Just down the road, MBTA operates ferry service from Pemberton Pier to both Long Wharf and Logan Airport.  The pier is open to the public.

Features

Known historically as Windmill Point, this area was originally named for the windmills that were employed to pump sea water into vats, to harvest the salt (which was then used in packing fish). It’s now the location of the much-more-contemporary Hull Wind 1 turbine, the first commercial wind turbine on the East Coast of the United States.

The boathouse here was originally an outpost of the United States Coast Guard station at Point Allerton, nearby. According to interpretive signage on site, the station added a 36′ wooden-hull motor lifeboat to its fleet in 1914, but the vessel was too large to launch from Point Allerton. A launching site was established here, and the boathouse was constructed in the 1920s. A WPA construction program built the current boathouse in 1936. It remained in use until the 1960s, when it could no longer accommodate the station’s vessels. The USGS’s current station and boathouse were constructed in 1970, a short distance away.

During the Victorian Era, the Pemberton Hotel was located here. According to interpretive signage on site, it was “one of New England’s most luxurious seaside hotels, with a seated salt water swimming pool, musical performances, and twice weekly fireworks displays.” Travelers arrived by train (from Nantasket Beach) and by steamboat (from Boston’s Rowes Wharf).

This land is within the region of the Massachuseuk (or Massachusett) Native American tribe.

Trail Description

No trails, but you can walk along the road and the shoreline and enjoy the view.

Habitats and Wildlife

Pemberton Point is located at the very tip of the Nantasket peninsula. It looks out onto Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands. The closest is Peddocks Island, the home of Fort Andrews.