Cleveland East Ledge Light stands on a man-made island in shallow water off Falmouth, Massachusetts, marking the eastern side of the dredged channel into the Cape Cod Canal and serving as the first fixed navigational aid for northbound vessels. Built from 1940 to 1943 after canal improvements made a stronger warning point necessary, it was completed by the Coast Guard despite wartime delays. The lighthouse, constructed on a large caisson with crew quarters and a concrete tower, was staffed for decades before automation in 1978 ended resident service. After years of decline, it was sold in 2010 and remains a prominent offshore landmark.