Ram Island, located near the entrance of Maine's Portland Harbor, has always been a dangerous obstacle for maritime traffic. The island and its rock ledges become submerged as every high tide approaches, magnifying the problem. Just as it takes a few traffic accidents at a dangerous intersection to institute a DOT study, it had taken years for the federal government to place a navigational aid on Ram Island.
The submerged island presented some challenges during lighthouse construction. The huge granite blocks were placed at low tide and required a year long effort to complete assembly of the tower. Finally the tower was ready for the 26,000 pound lantern-room in 1905. The lightkeepers, confined to living in the tower, lead a Spartan life and their only contact with the outside world was by radio. The lighthouse, almost unchanged for nearly 100 years ago, was finally automated in 1958, and converted to solar power in 2001.