#ledge lighthouse

[jadafitch]

Ram Island Ledge Light, Casco Bay, Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Over the years, there have been countless shipwrecks on these ledges, just outside the entrance to Portland Harbor. In 1866 there were four wrecks in one day alone. The permanent lighthouse structure that stands today wasn't built until 1903. The base of the tower had to be constructed during low tides, as it became submerged twice a day. The walkway above the hightide mark was mostly destroyed in the January 2024 storms.

[jadafitch]

Saddleback Ledge Light, Isle au Haut Bay, Maine. The lighthouse's first keeper, Watson Hopkins, lived in the tower with his wife and seven (later eight) children. The tower contained a living room with a stove, two bedrooms and a cellar, and the ledge is about a quarter of an acre at high tide. According to a 1842 report, he was miserable.