Gurnet Point, also known as The Gurnet, is located at the end of the peninsula at the entrance to Plymouth Bay

Plymouth Bay

Plymouth Bay is the name of a small, well-protected bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the western shore of larger Cape Cod Bay along the coastline of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...

 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and is a headland

Headlands and bays

Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...

 and the small private settlement located on it. The Pilgrims who settled Plymouth in 1620 named it Gurnett’s Nose for its resemblance to headlands in the English Channel

English Channel

The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...

 where gurnett fish were plentiful. The Gurnet is the home of Plymouth (Gurnet) Lighthouse

Plymouth Light

Plymouth Light, also known as Gurnet Light, is an historic lighthouse located on Gurnet Point at the entrance to Plymouth Bay in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts...

 as well as of Fort Andrews

Fort Andrews

Fort Andrew was a six-gun Patriot fort also known as Gurnet Fort. Once located at Gurnet Point, it was rebuilt in 1808, and again in 1863 and was renamed. It became a federal fort in 1869. The reservation was sold in 1926 and became private property. A World War II fire-control tower was built on...

 from the Revolutionary War

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...

. Its only access by land is from the Powder Point Bridge at Duxbury Beach

Duxbury Beach

Duxbury Beach is a beach in the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts. It is four miles long and is accessed by the Powder Point Bridge from Duxbury.It is a barrier beach, defined by sand dunes, rosa ragusa, and beach grass...

 5 miles to the north by foot or by 4-wheel drive beach buggies, but access is restricted to property owners, residents and their guests, except for once a year on Memorial Day

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...

when the lighthouse is open to the public.