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Ram Island Light (Boothbay Harbor, Maine)
Ram Island Light is situated at the northern entrance into
Boothbay Harbor Maine at what is known as the Fisherman’s Island passage.
Prior to the lighthouse being built in 1883 there were several attempts by local
fishermen to provide a means of protection for boats coming and going to
Boothbay Harbor. Earlier in the 1800s a lobsterman, having narrowly escaped
death on the rocks surrounding the island, took it upon himself to set up a
lantern on the island that would burn through out the night.
Each night he would stop on the island and light the lantern.
Although not as effective as a lighthouse, it did provide some visual
warning and he continued this practice for a few years until he moved away from
the area. Another fisherman took over the responsibility of
maintaining the makeshift light. His
light was a little more sophisticated in that the light was enclosed in a box
with glass sides. This provided
additional protection for the lamp from the winds. He would light the lantern each evening as he returned from
his lobstering. He continued this
until he, too, moved away. Following this, a third fisherman set up a lantern on Ram
Island. His idea was to anchor an old dory next to the island and set up a
lantern on its bow. It was
then agreed among the local fisherman that the last fisherman who passed by the
dory at sunset would be responsible for lighting the lantern in the dory. This
worked well until a storm destroyed the dory. A fisherman that lived on nearby Fisherman’s Island
became the fourth person to take over the responsibly of lighting a lantern on
Ram Island. He agreed to light the
lantern on foggy or stormy lights. This
lantern, as it turned out, was very weak and often became visible only after it
was too late to avoid the rocks. Shipwrecks
became frequent.
Finally in 1883 a lighthouse and keeper’s house was built
on Ram Island. The keeper’s house
was built on the island and the light was built just off-shore out on the rocks
on the south side of the island. There
was a wooden walkway that connected the lighthouse to the shore. The light house tower consisted of a brick structure on top
a granite base. Similar lighthouse designs were built on Marshall Point and Isle
au Haut. A fog bell and bell tower
were added in 1897. A boathouse and launching ramp were built on the north side
of the island facing the narrow gut between Ram Island and Fisherman’s Island. The light became automated in 1965.
At this time the Coast Guard moved off the island and the keeper’s
house was boarded up. The island became a popular picnic spot but with time also
became the target of vandals. In 1975 the fourth-order Fresnel lens was stolen.
It has since been recovered and is on display at the museum of the
Boothbay Region Historical Society. In 1977 the walkway to the lighthouse having become rotted
was removed by the Coast Guard. At
the same time the keepers house received much needed repairs.
The boathouse was destroyed in the blizzard in 1978. In 1983 the keeper's house was scheduled to be destroyed.
The Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust stepped in and leased the station, saving
it from destruction. The property as transferred to the Grand Banks Schooner
Museum Trust in 1998 under the Maine Lights Program. The keeper’s house has been restored by the Ram Island Preservation Society, which is part of the Grand Banks Schooner Museum Trust and in 2002 the walkway out to the light tower was rebuilt. Caretakers now live on the island during the summer.
The light can only be seen by boat. The Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine has several cruises during the summer that go by the island. There are also many cruises from Boothbay Harbor that provide good views of the Ram Island Light.
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All pictures are the original work of Rick Totton and are protected under copyright laws. Do not reproduce any images from this website without permission of the author. Copyright (c) 2000 Rick Totton.
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After
some time the man who lived on Fisherman’s Island no longer lit the lantern,
and for a time there was no light at Ram Island.
