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Passings
Ada Louise Smith, 74, of Winthrop, Maine has passed away. She was the daughter of Henry and Edith (Johnson) Searles. She grew up at West Quoddy Head Light in Maine where her grandfather, Ephraim Johnson, was lighthouse keeper. As part of our archival files, we are searching for a photograph of her grandfather. If any of our readers can help us, we would appreciate hearing from you.
Preservation News
South Carolina’s Morris Island Lighthouse has been purchased by the State of North Carolina, which will help lead the way to the structures restoration. The lighthouse, listed on the Doomsday List of endangered lighthouses, 158-foot tall lighthouse that sits in water about 150 yards from shore. Last year, Save-the-Light, Inc., a local citizens group bought the lighthouse from a Columbia, SC businessman for $75,000.00. The State of South Carolina will now buy the lighthouse from the citizens group for a nominal fee, probably one dollar. The state will them in turn lease the lighthouse back to the group. The sale to the state will now make it easier for the group to get government money to stabilize and restore the lighthouse.
More than 100 Michigan lighthouses will receive financial benefit from Michigan’s new lighthouse license plate. The revenue from the sales of the lighthouse license plate will be administered through the Michigan Historical Center. The new plates will be available in March 2001.
Change of Command
CWO Rick Loster, CO of the Portsmouth Coast Guard Station now has a new command as Captain of the USCG Cutter Cuttyhunk, which will patrol the Straits of Juan De Fuca in Washington State. This is a job he always dreamed of having. Back in the 1980’s he was the keeper at the White Island Lighthouse on the Isles of Shoals, NH. Being a history buff, Loster enjoyed being adjacent to Fort Constitution, where the first overt act of the Revolutionary War took place.
OOPS!
In our March article on the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, it was incorrectly stated that the mineral phosphate was shipped to Port Boca Grande and then taken by rail to the mines in Central Florida. In fact, the mineral was brought from the mines by rail to Port Boca Grande, where ocean-going ships on-loaded it for worldwide shipment. We apologize for any confusion.
In last month’s May issue on the story of South Africa, I stated that Johannesburg was one of the most beautiful cities in the world - in effect the statement “one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” was meant to be used referring to Cape Town, South Africa which was also visited by the tour group.
Also in last month’s May issue at the bottom of some of the pages it said April when it fact it should have said May. We apologize for any confusion this might have caused.
In Search of . . .
We are looking for a photograph of Arnold Burges Johnson who was the Chief Clerk of the United States Light-House Board in the late 1800’s. There must be a photograph of him around somewhere. If any of our readers can help or give us some ideas of where to look, we would appreciate hearing from you. We have looked in the obvious places.
Please remember, we are always looking for artifacts, documents and old photographs from the United States Lighthouse Establishment, United States Lighthouse Service and or the United States Coast Guard or lighthouse services from other countries. If any one has any that they would like to donate to the new Lighthouse Depot Museum in Wells, Maine they can be sent to - Tim Harrison, American Lighthouse Foundation, 2190 Post Road, U.S. Rt. 1, Wells, Maine 04090.
This story appeared in the June 2000 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
All contents copyright © 1995 - 2005 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.
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