It was built at the same time that the North Channel into Boston Harbor was dredged to become the principal entrance for large vessels.

[2] It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Graves Light Station on September 28, 1987, reference number 87002041.

Various sources agree that the ledges were named for a Thomas Graves, but differ on who he was; some prefer a 17th-century English rear admiral; others like a colonial-era American merchant.

[3] The new owners retained a historian who ascertained that the ledges were named for Rear Admiral Thomas Graves (1605–1653), whose family settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts, but who died in an English naval battle against the Dutch in 1653.

[8] The lighthouse includes two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a study, but landing is difficult and entering the building requires traversing a 40-foot (12 m) ladder.