Two lighthouses in Maine are the last two this year to be offered to non-profits and municipalities for one dollar under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA) of 2000. The Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse in Casco Bay, Portland (Not to be confused with Ram Island in Boothbay Harbor) and Baker Island Lighthouse near Islesford are up for grabs. They join Saybrook Breakwater (CT), East Charity Shoal, Buffalo Harbor, Latimer Reef (all in NY), Straitsmouth (MA), St. Joseph Pierhead and Inner Lights, Muskegon S. Pierhead, Muskegon S. Breakwater (all in MI), and Kenosha N. Pierhead (WI).

Baker Island Lighthouse

Baker Island is one of five islands that make up the Cranberry Islands near Frenchman Bay, close to Islesboro, or about four miles from Mt. Desert Island. It is still active, even after several attempts by the Coast Guard to discontinue it.

It was actually deactivated in 1955, and the Coast Guard removed the Fourth Order Fresnel Lens, which is now on display at the Fisherman’s Museum in Bristol (at the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Park). It was reactivated with a solar powered optic in 1957 after local complaints by fishermen and yachtsmen.

The Coast Guard’s second attempt to deactivate it came in 1992, when the Coast Guard claimed that tall trees on the island made it difficult to see the light. More than 150 letters of compaint convinced them to leave it active.

The final attempt to shut it down was in 1997, when once again the protest in letters quelled the plans to deactivate the light.

Only the lighthouse tower is up for grabs. The adjacent keeper’s house and surrounding island are owned and managed by Acadia National Park. Standard disclaimers and easements apply to the tower. Interested organizations have until November 25, 2008 to submit letters of interest.

Announcement and Fact Sheet (PDF).

More history of the lighthouse from New England Lighthouses.

Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse

Often confused with Ram Island Lighthouse in Boothbay Harbor, this one is actually located in Casco Bay, Cumberland County, near Portland. Currently it’s under the care of the American Lighthouse Foundation, who are expected to apply for the ownership. Well, maybe. It’s highly inaccessible, built on ledges about a mile from Portland Harbor. The ledges are only accessible at low tide.

Completed in 1904 after arduous months of work, the lighthouse stands 90 feet above the water with a focal plane of 77 feet. An underground electric cable supplied power to the lighthouse beginning in 1958, which allowed the keepers to leave in 1959. And for good reason. Three keepers were assigned to the station, pulling daily 12 hour shifts for two weeks at a time before gaining shore leave. During the rough Maine winter one year, two of the keepers were forced to stay there for 45 days straight, reduced to eating oatmeal 3 times a day to survive.

The light and foghorn are now powered by solar power, and the original Third Order Fresnel lens has been replaced by a modern optic. It was built to last, however, as the original granite blocks supplied by a company in Rockland, Maine, and is identical to Graves Light in Boston Harbor, which was built at the same time.

Letters of Interest are due to the NPS by October 29, 2008.

Ram Island Ledge Announcement and Fact Sheet (.DOC Format)

More history of the light (and great photos) at New England Lighthouses.

About Maine Islands

Just as an aside, it seems Maine has so many islands, there are several that carry the same name. I don’t know why that is, perhaps the original settlers moved from island to island and kept the name the same as the old one they left. For example, there are two Smuttynose Islands in the state. Yes, I had to use that one, the name so fascinates me.

Ram Island in Casco Bay and the one in Boothbay Harbor also share the same name, and both have lighthouses associated with their names.

In fact, in the lantern room at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is a very nice display of other lighthouses that can be seen at night from Pemaquid. Unfortunately, the person that made them up confused Ram Island (Boothbay Harbor) which can be seen from the tower with Ram Island Ledge (Casco Bay) which cannot be seen even on a clear night. I believe the posters were a gift, so I guess there was no complaining about the mistake (if anyone even realized it), but I always made a point to let visitors know of the error. I don’t want the one in Boothbay Harbor getting short shrift, or getting its resident ghost mad.

Photo Credits:

• Baker Island Lighthouse by cbcbd at Community Webshots
• Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse by whitecloud00 at Community Webshots.

 

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