THE STORY
Reported Haunting
Before Ram Island Lighthouse was built, mariners told stories of a ghostly Woman in White appearing with a light near the dangerous rocks and seemingly warning vessels away from disaster. Stories of ghosts and other unexplained influences became part of Ram Island's maritime folklore and continued to be associated with the later lighthouse station.
Ram Island Light Station was established in 1883 at the eastern entrance to Boothbay Harbor, where dangerous rocks had threatened mariners long before construction of the lighthouse. Local folklore predating the station tells of ghosts and other unexplained influences around Ram Island. The best-known legend concerns a mysterious Woman in White who reportedly appeared near the rocks, sometimes carrying or displaying a light, seemingly warning approaching sailors away from danger. Stories of the apparition became intertwined with the island's history of shipwrecks and the hazardous waters surrounding it.