Notes:
(1) Ram Island Ledge is a dangerous ledge that protrudes 1,300-feet from Ram Island.  Ram Island is located on the northern side of Portland Harbor and is visible from Portland Head Lighthouse.

      A iron spindle was driven into the rock reef in 1855.  Spindles were used as navigational aids in hazardous locations that prevented building a Lighthouse due to technology or cost.  In 1873, a 50-feet wooden tripod was used as a Day-mark.  These aids were only beneficial during the day in clear weather.  The Day-marks became practically invisible as the ledge itself during bad weather and shipwrecks occurred frequently over the years.

      The Lighthouse Board determined that a Lighthouse was needed after the transatlantic steamer, California, was grounded on Ram Island Ledge in snowstorm on February 24, 1900.  A granite tower was designed, similar to Graves Light in Boston Harbor which was erected about same time.  Congress appropriated funds in 1902 and construction began on May 1, 1903.

      Ram Island Ledge, similar to Minots Ledge outside Boston Harbor, is a hazardous submerged rock that is only exposed at low tide.  The Ledge was leveled to three feet above mean low water and the Tower’s construction was identical to Graves Light in Boston Harbor and Minots Ledge outside Boston Harbor using numbered interlocking dovetailed Granite Blocks.

      The Lighthouse was First Lit on January 23, 1905 exhibiting a Flashing White light illuminated by a Third-order Fresnel Lens and a kerosene lamp.  A clockwork mechanism, floating on a bed of mercury, rotated the lens to produce the flashing characteristic.  The Light Keeper wound the clockwork mechanism every 1.5-hours.  Three Keepers tended the Light on a revolving schedule with each Keeper living at the Lighthouse for two weeks and a week off-duty.

      On August 28, 1905, a Fog Bell was installed and the Lighthouse was converted to electricity in 1958 using a underwater cable from Portland Head.  In 1959, the Coast Guard removed the Keepers from Ram Island Ledge and the automated light and fog signal were tended remotely by the Keepers at Portland Head Light.

      The Light was converted to solar power in January, 2001 with solar panels converting light into electricity that is stored into two large batteries for providing power to the light and fog signal.

(2) Emergency light of reduced intensity when main light is extinguished.

(3) Directions From Portland:
US-1A (West Commercial St), Turn right onto ME 77 over the Casco Bay Bridge into South Portland,
Turn Left onto Broadway, Turn Right onto Cottage Road,
Cottage Road becomes Shore Road at the Cape Elizabeth town line,
Turn Left into Fort Williams Park at 1000 Shore Road and continue to the Free Parking Area at Portland Head Lighthouse.

Ram Island Ledge Light can be viewed from the area around Portland Head Light.