|
Lighthouse Depot Dispatch for September 2006
Beacons of the Bay Auction
Wisconsin's Sturgeon Bay Visitor and Convention Bureau and HELP of Door County are hosting the first annual Beacons Around the Bay Auction, Saturday, September 2, 2006. This year's public artwork will be put on the auction block at 7:30 pm at Bay View Park on Sturgeon Bay's westside near the historic downtown bridge. Join the pre-auction party and view the creative lighthouses beginning at 4:00 pm. Food and beverages will be available along with cool tunes from Mid-Life Crisis before the auction begins at 7:30 pm.On display throughout town all summer, the 6-foot tall beacons' celebration culminates in this evening on the shore of Sturgeon Bay.
Proceeds from the auction go to designated and sponsoring non-profit organizations along with the artists. Every beacon has a different personality: the artists were inspired to create authentic replications, humorous puns, and depictions of Door County's unique atmosphere. There's a beacon to suit everyone's taste, so bring home the beacon by attending this end of summer event!
Photographs of the beacons can be viewed at www.SturgeonBay.net before the auction. Advance reservations for a VIP table can be made by calling the SBVCB office at (920)743-6246. If you are unable to attend the auction, you can still bid on a Beacon by proxy bid; please contact the SBVCB at (920)743-6346 to take advantage of this opportunity. Additional information about this and other Sturgeon Bay events is available by calling the SBVCB office at (800)301-6695, (920)743-6246 or by visiting
www.sturgeonbay.net
Tour the Hudson Athens Lighthouse During "I Love N.Y. Fall Festival."
Tours dates are September 9, October 1, and October 14th. Boat leaves between the hours of 11 .m. and 3 p.m. from both the Hudson and Athens sides of the Hudson River. For more information call 1-518- 828 5294 or for reservations call 1- 518-822-1014
Boston Lens Gets Makeover
Lighthouse lens experts, Joe Cocking and Nick Johnston, who you've most likely read about in Lighthouse Digest, recently performed major restoration on the historic Fresnel lens in America's first light station in Boston Harbor. It was the first full restoration of the 4,000-pound lens since it was installed in 1859.
Nantucket Lightship Pushed Out
The historic Lightship Nantucket I WLV 612 has been ordered out of its mooring on Boston's waterfront. The lightship saved from the scrap heap by William Golden six years ago was caught in the middle of a dispute between Commercial Wharf Condominium owners and the Boston Yacht Haven. Golden, who has been neutral during the dispute had no choice but to leave the site and look for another home for the vessel, a problem that seems to plague many lightships.
Braddock Point NY For Sale
New York State's Braddock Point Lighthouse is now for sale. Originally built using parts of the Cleveland Lighthouse it was once listed as the brightest lighthouse on Lake Ontario. Located 15 miles west of Rochester, the upper parts of the tower were removed by the government when the lighthouse was discontinued. The current owners added a lantern room to the shortened tower. The lighthouse is offered through Remax. For more information you can call Terri Granger at 1-585-719-3524 or email her at
New Gift Items from Lighthouse Depot
The newest catalog features a wide variety of new items of lighthouse aficionados and collectors.
For home décor you might want the new Lighthouse Drop Leaf Table #30255, which is perfect for use as an end table, nightstand or phone stand.
Among the new clothing items is the Fair Winds Pullover #34298 and the Dockside Village Pullover #34513.
With the new year just a few months away the 2007 calendars are now available including the 2007 Jean Guichard Calendar #13754, the 2007 Plisson Deluxe Calendar #13753 and start remembering your next years important dates with the 2007 Great Lakes Lighthouse Engagement calendar #13751.
From time to time we all like to change the kitchen dinnerware and this would be the perfect time with the Guardian Shores Dinnerware Set by Harbour Lights #30823. To complement the dinnerware we would recommend the Guardian Shores 20-Piece Flatware Set from Harbour Lights #30824.
New Harbour Lights Guide
Harbour Lights will be delighted with the new Official Harbour Lights Collectors Guide. The book is packed full of information on every known fact about Harbour Lights collectibles from 1991 through 2006.
It is available as item #31879.
Last Issue's Trivia Question
Over the years United States lighthouses were managed under federal agencies named or referred to as, The United States Lighthouse Establishment (USLHE), The Bureau of Lighthouses, The United States Coast Guard (USCG), and The United States Lighthouse Service (USLHS.) What is the other name that was used by the agency that managed United States lighthouses? The correct answer is The Lighthouse Board. Congratulations to Dallas Schmidt, whose name was randomly selected from the winning answers. Dallas has been sent a wonderful gift from Lighthouse Depot.
Trouble At Apostale Islands Lighthouses
"Within the boundaries of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is the largest and finest single collection of lighthouses in the country." That's what historian F. Ross Holland, Jr. wrote in his guide, "Great American Lighthouses." This national park on Lake Superior boasts no less than eight historic lighthouses: each is a treasure in its own right, but together, their value is unmatched.
And now their future is in doubt.
The National Park Service is currently drafting a new General Management Plan for the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, which will guide the park's operation for many years to come. Among the proposals under consideration are options that would severely limit public access to the lighthouses, and cut their maintenance to a point where structural deterioration would be inevitable.
One option proposes "mothballing" all but one of the lighthouses, closing the rest to visitors and performing only minimal upkeep. According to the government's own analysis, this plan would result in deterioration of the historic towers. What's the reason behind such a drastic proposal? The NPS says it's money: "Costs are rising faster than budgets... we need to prioritize."
Can anything be done to prevent such a tragedy? Yes, but you'll need to act soon.
The National Park Service will be accepting comments on these proposals until September 25, 2006. Public response will help determine what gets saved and what gets sacrificed.
Please don't delay! Write or email the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and pass along a strong message. Write in your own words, or just copy or print these crucial points:
Lighthouses are a precious part of our country's heritage, and the outstanding collection of lighthouses within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a national treasure. They must be preserved for future generations, and kept open for the public to visit.
There is no higher priority for a national park than caring for its resources. Funds should not be diverted from lighthouse preservation to other uses.
If government funding is inadequate to protect the park's historic treasures, the National Park Service should work aggressively to find partner organizations that will assist in its preservation program.
Email your message to or send written comments to:
National Park Service
Denver Service Center - Greg Jarvis, DSC-P
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
PO Box 25287
Denver, CO 80225-0287
Please act now- the comment period closes September 25!
For more information on the Apostle Islands General Management Plan, visit the NPS web site at: http://www.nps.gov/apis/parkmgmt/general-management-plan.htm
This Issue's Trivia Question
Maine has a large number of historic lighthouses, some are short like Owls Head and some are tall like Petit Manan. Which Maine lighthouse is the highest above sea level? Send you answer along with your name and mailing address to . We will randomly pick one name from among the correct answers for a wonderful prize from Lighthouse Depot.
Portland Head Light Featured in New Book
The story of Maine's historic Portland Head Light is told in a new book by historian Timothy Harrison. This book is packed with vintage and current photos. With it's informative and heartwarming text you will learn of the storms, shipwrecks, family life, silent movies, tidal wave, ghosts and so much more. This is the first time that many of the historic photos in the book have ever been published. Portland Head Light, A Pictorial Journey Through Time, is a must have for any lighthouse aficionado that will be cherished for many years to come. A portion of the proceeds of the sales of this book is donated to the American Lighthouse Foundation. Available from Lighthouse Depot as item #31880.
Clearance Central
Be sure to visit the Lighthouse Depot Clearance Central at www.lhdepot.com/clearance.cfm?newskey=161 for special offers on discontinued and close out items.
Visiting Maine, the Lighthouse State
Autumn is a beautiful and less hurried time of the year to visit Maine and its historic lighthouses. While here be sure to visit our main store on historic U. S. Rt. 1 in Wells, and our other location in Rockland at the new Maine Lighthouse Museum.
Lighthouse Depot, Helping to Save Lighthouses, One Gift at a Time
|
