Maine Lighthouse 3

Ram Island Ledge Light

 

Bruce and I spied this lighthouse off the coast while we were traveling just North of the Portland Head Light.  Not knowing what it was, I had to do some research to identify it for you.  It is the Ram Island Ledge Light.

This light sits on jagged rocks at the north side of the entrance to Portland Harbor.  At high tide the ledges are completely covered and were the cause of many shipwrecks until a lighthouse was built there in 1905.  Ram Island Ledge protrudes 1,300 feet from Ram Island. The granite tower was built on a granite block foundation with an attached skeletal pier. It is 77 feet tall from its base to the middle of the round lantern and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Gray, granite blocks were used to construct the tower and were cut from quarries on Vinahaven.  They give the lighthouse the appearance of being much older than it is. It can be seen from offshore at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth.

On Aug. 28, 1905, a fog bell was installed and in 1958 the lighthouse was converted to electricity. In 1959, the Coast Guard removed the three lighthouse keepers from Ram Island Ledge and the automated light and fog signal were tended remotely by keepers at Portland Head Light.  The light was converted to solar power in January 2001 and is still an active navigational aid. The lighthouse structure is not open to the public and is accessible only by boat.

Check out the photo below showing just why a lighthouse was needed at this location:

Photo Courtesy of:  U.S. Coast Guar

In July 2010, Ram Island Ledge Light was put up for sale to the general public.  The minimum bid was $10,000.  Dr Jeffrey Florman, a neurosurgeon from Windham placed the winning bid of $190,000 and it was sold on 9/14/2010.   Mainers were pleased the lighthouse remained in the hands of someone from Maine who wishes to restore and maintain the lighthouse.  It can now continue to serve as an active navigational aid.