Chesapeake Lightship to be lost?

08/12/04 7:50 PM

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Chesapeake Lightship to be lost?

Unsuccessful in its bid for $1 million dollars in city money over the next four years The Baltimore Maritime Museum plans to close the Chesapeake Lightship and its other tourist attractions in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke, whose administration promised the museum financial help for the last four years, said the city is facing its worst financial crisis in years and simply can't afford any money on tourists attractions.

The mayor said the city would work with the museum if alternative sources of money could be found. But he added, "I don't believe at this time that money exists. So I'm assuming that as they notified me, they will be going out of business."

Last year the city contributed $120,000 to the museum as an emergency payment to keep it operating by covering maintenance and salaries. The museum is expected to draw 140,000 visitors this year.

The museum will also be closing the USS Torsk, which sank the last two Japanese warships in World War II and the USS Taney, the last surviving warship afloat to survive Pearl Harbor. Last year the USS Constellation was closed.

Some of the problems at this museum are too many paid employees and not enough volunteers. Recently the city spent $175,000 in consultants studies, and site plans, a true waste of money that could have been used to keep the museum open.

Possible solutions would be to lower the payroll, corporate sponsorship, more media attention, more volunteers, sales of souvenirs, and ask the Japanese government to support part of the museum, at least to keep the USS Taney open to the public.

This story appeared in the August 1996 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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