Canada Declares 976 Lighthouses as Surplus
In a bold and sweeping move the cash strapped Canadian government has declared 976 of its lighthouses as excess property. Among those included is the famous Peggy's Cove Lighthouse in Nova Scotia. About half the lighthouses declared excess are still active lighthouses and the others are no longer being used. The Canadian government hopes that nonprofits and local communities will come forward to take ownership of the lighthouses; a plan that has drawn immense criticism from small communities that do not have the financial capabilities to take care of a historic lighthouse. In-depth coverage of this amazing story will be in upcoming issues of Lighthouse Digest magazine. If you are not yet a subscriber you can do so at www.LighthouseDigest.net.

Maine Lighthouse Museum Selling a Unique Opportunity
The Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland is offering an opportunity to leave your mark on history. They are selling bricks to the entryway of the museum that can be engraved with your name, the name of a loved one, a special date in your life such as marriage or anniversary, or a business name. Cost of the bricks is $75.00 each and they can be engraved with three lines of characters with 20 letters or spaces per line. They will even center your numbers or letters for you. You can mail your order to the Maine Lighthouse Museum, P.O. Box 1116, Rockland, Maine 04841 or go on-line for the form at www.MaineLighthouseMuseum.org. This is a perfect way to help the museum and leave your mark on history that will be viewed by thousands of visitors to the museum for many years into the future.

Work Starts on New York's Rock Island Lighthouse
A $1.1 million renovation has started on Rock Island Lighthouse. The work, which will take place over two or three seasons, will include interior and exterior restoration and more dockage at the lighthouse to accommodate larger tour boats. The project is being funded by an $800,000 federal grant administered by the U S Department of Transportation and $220,000 from the State of New York.

Point No Point Comes in Third
Washington State's Point No Point Lighthouse came in third in a regional contest in a Partner's in Preservation initiative sponsored through American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Twenty- five participants were vying for the money. However, in this case, third place is a pretty big deal. The lighthouse has been awarded $100,000. According to Jeff Gales, the bulk of the money will be used to repair the aging tower. Thanks to everyone who voted in the on-line process that helped the lighthouse win this much needed grant money.

Free Book Offered by Lighthouse Digest
Lighthouse Digest is offering a free copy of the brand new book, Thunder Bay Island Lighthouse and Life-Saving Station with any new, renewal or gift subscription to the magazine, which is America's only lighthouse history and news magazine. To take advantage of this special offer you can call 207-259-2121 or click here for www.LighthouseDigest.net for their special offer. However this is a limited time offer so you will need to take advantage of the special offer soon.

Last Month's Trivia Questions and Winners

1. One of America’s most famous Marine Corp Recruit Training Depots was once the site of two range lighthouses with one of the structures having been one of the first of its type ever erected in the United States. What was the name of this lighthouse station? The correct answer is Parris Island Lighthouse Station in South Carolina. The remaining lighthouse building at this site is the oldest standing structure on Parris Island. Congratulations to Tracy Winters of Greensburg, Indiana whose name was randomly selected from among the correct answers submitted.
   
   
2. Not only was a replica built of this lighthouse, but it is also the only lighthouse to have actually served on two of the Great Lakes. Although it had a lighthouse keeper at its first location, it never had a lighthouse keeper at its second location. What is the current name of this lighthouse? The correct answer is the East Charity Shoal Lighthouse on Lake Ontario, New York. The lighthouse first stood as the Vermilion Lighthouse in Vermilion, Ohio before it was moved to New York. Eventually a replica of the Vermilion Lighthouse was built in Vermilion Ohio. Congratulations to Donna Andres of Stockton, California whose name was randomly selected from among the correct answers submitted.
   
   
3. This lighthouse was once located on a river in the Keystone State and was moved to another state. It is named with the name of a different state than the state where it is now located. What is the current name of this lighthouse that stands next to another lighthouse by the same name? The correct answer is the Michigan Island Lighthouse that was moved to Wisconsin in 1929 where it stands near the old Michigan Island Lighthouse. Before being moved to Wisconsin it was the Schooner Ledge Range Rear Lighthouse on the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. Congratulations to Kevin Powrozek whose name was randomly selected from among the correct answers submitted.

Congratulations to our winners! We wish to thank everyone who entered the trivia contest. The winners' prizes will be mailed to them within the next few days. Our trivia contest can be fun for anyone interested in lighthouses and history. Please pass the word around and encourage others to sign up for the Depot Dispatch.

This Issue's Trivia Questions

1. What is the name of the southern lighthouse that was taken down and moved from the state of its original location to another state where it sat in storage for many years, and was then returned to its original state, re-erected and then taken down again and now remains in storage, rusting away, while waiting to be restored and rebuilt again, near its original location?
2. What is the name of the person from whose paintings many of the U S Lighthouse Postage Stamps were designed?
3. The Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland, Maine has the largest collection of lighthouses lenses and other artifacts of any lighthouse museum in the United States. What was the original name of the museum?

Send your answers to one, two, or all three of the trivia questions listed above to: . One name from each of correct answers to each trivia question will be randomly drawn for a prize from Lighthouse Depot. The winning names and the answers to the above trivia questions will be published in next month's Depot Dispatch.
When submitting your answers, be sure to include your full name and mailing address so we can mail your prize to you should your name be drawn from among the correct answers.
Please submit only one answer per person per trivia question. Multiple entries will not be accepted; correct answers without a mailing address will not be accepted, and only one answer per trivia question will be accepted. Since winning entries are drawn at random, one person could possibly win more than one prize.
Have fun researching lighthouse history and good luck!

Summer Travel
If you are planning to travel this summer to visit some lighthouses we have many great lighthouse books that will help guide you on your adventures. A few that we would recommend are: America's Atlantic Coast Lighthouses, A Traveler's Guide #31878 New England Lighthouse Handbook #31884, Discover Prince Edward Island - Lighthouse Guide #88250 Lighthouse Depot has a wide selection of lighthouse books that will not only enlighten you but also make great reading on those rainy summer days. They also make great gifts.

Highlight the Entryway
This is the time of year most Americans put out the welcome flag and we have the perfect flag for you. Our colorful Bayside Welcome Flag #15624 is pure Americana and will show your love of lighthouses and your inviting welcome to friends and family.

Endangered Lighthouse Replica
While many of our historic lighthouses have been saved or are in the process of being saved, many others are in danger of being lost forever. One of the most endangered of all American Lighthouses is the 14 Mile Point Lighthouse in Michigan. The outlook for saving this beacon is extremely bleak. Harbour Lights will soon be releasing a replica of this lighthouse in its state of ruin as item #42387. Very few people will ever get the opportunity to visit and view this remote lighthouse. However, you can now own a replica of it by placing your advance order today. You won't be disappointed.

Clearance Central
Be sure to visit the Clearance Central on our web site for an ever-changing array of discontinued and close out items that have been marked down for quick sale.

This summer we would encourage you to visit lighthouses and support the efforts of the many groups who are trying to save them. If Maine is included on your travel plans, please stop in and visit us at our Wells location on historic U S Route 1 in southern Maine, or at our store at the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland.

Lighthouse Depot is dedicated to helping save lighthouses, one gift at a time.

We support the efforts of The American Lighthouse Foundation. You can too!