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Louis Bauchan is lost
Last of the lighthouse keepers of yesteryear
A great American hero has been lost with the passing of Louis Bauchan, the last known surviving lighthouse keeper of the old United States Lighthouse Service. Bauchan, 91, passed away at his Cheboygan, Michigan home this past Sunday night. Bauchan served as a lighthouse keeper at various Great Lakes lighthouses including St. Martins Island, Poverty Island, Chicago Harbor and Pointe Betsie. He also served on the Coast Guard Icebreaker Mackinaw. Wearing his lighthouse keeper's uniform he was a fixture at each year's Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival and other lighthouse events where he was always more than willing to share his memories and many photographs. Being a lighthouse keeper was more than a job to him. During his days as a lighthouse keeper he kept a detailed photographic account of his days in the U.S. Lighthouse Service and later the U.S. Coast Guard. With the help of his family those photographs and his memories have been recorded for future generations. I'll never forget the first time I met him; he was one of those people that you liked instantly. Not only was he part of the "Greatest Generation", he was a hero of it. He left a legacy that will go down in history, there will never be another like him; he will be dearly missed. Our condolences go out to his family. Louis Bauchan's funeral will be Thursday, April 24 at the Dorrell Funeral Home, 605 N. Washington Ave., Ludington, MI 49431. In lieu of flowers the family request that donations in memory of Louis Bauchan be sent to Friends of Point Betsie Light, P.O. Box 601, Frankfort, MI 49635. Sympathy cards can be sent to - The Bauchan Family, P.O. Box 730, Houghton Lake, MI 48629-0730.
State wants to close museum
The Governor of Connecticut has proposed the elimination of the Connecticut Historical Commission, which would close down the Henry Whitfield Museum where the Faulkner's Island Lighthouse exhibit is located. This would be a travesty not only to lighthouse history but also to saving history itself. The Henry Whitfield House is the oldest stone house in all of New England and is a National Historic Landmark that has been open to the public for an amazing 104 years. Closing it down would be a national disgrace. Only a public outcry can stop this. We urge our readers to help keep the museum open by writing or calling John G. Rowland, Governor of Connecticut, 210 Capital Av., Hartford, CT 06106 Ph # 860-566-4840.
Nubble Light's Heroine is lost
Verna Rundlett, best known in lighthouse circles as the Nubble Light Lady, died last week at age 76. Verna was responsible for the building of the Sohier Park Welcome Center at the Cape Neddick "Nubble" Lighthouse in York, Maine, which contains a gift shop and public washrooms. In 1979 she founded the Christmas in July at Nubble, which has grown to be the largest lighthouse event held yearly in Maine. Under her direction she led a band of dedicated volunteers that operated the gift shop and raised money to maintain the park and the historic lighthouse that is one of most visited and photographed lighthouses in the United States. She was a shining light and was one of the most dedicated volunteers we have ever known. She will be greatly missed and our condolences go out to her husband Henry and the entire Rundlett family. Cards of condolence can be sent to Henry Rundlett, P. O. Box 262, York Beach, ME 03910.
Wood Island group formed
The United States Coast Guard has turned over Wood Island Lighthouse in Biddeford Pool, Maine to the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF). The light station dating back to 1808 consists of a large keeper's house, covered walkway to the tower, a rubble-stone tower, oil house and boathouse. ALF has formed a new chapter called the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse who will now be raising money and looking for volunteers to restore the property. If you are interested in helping go to www.LighthouseFoundation.org www.LighthouseFoundation.org and click on Friends of Wood Island Light.
New Republic is born - Become a citizen now
In an elaborate ceremony complete with costumed leaders, a group of dedicated volunteers declared the Republic of Boon Island an independent nation in efforts to raise money to save the island's only lighthouse, the tallest in Maine. The full story will appear in the May issue of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. If you would like to become a citizen of the new Republic (a $25 cost) and get your citizenship papers, passport, CD-Rom, library card, and some of the new Republic's Blue Boonies money now you can go to www.LighthouseFoundation.org www.LighthouseFoundation.org and click on the Republic of Boon Island and the Boon Island Mall. Citizenship papers or a "Mom of the Year" award from the Republic of Boon Island would make great Mothers Day gifts.
Cape Cod group saves Avery Point Lighthouse
We have made numerous appeals in the past for Connecticut's Avery Point Lighthouse. Our last email brought in close to $4,000 in the "Buck for the Light Program" toward the final money needed to save the lighthouse. However, it is the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation that stepped forward with a $25,000 donation that put the Avery Point Lighthouse Society over the top which will allow restoration work to begin before the crumbling tower is lost forever. The Avery Point Lighthouse is the only lighthouse built in America as a memorial to the lighthouse keepers of yesteryear. The Cape Cod Chapter of ALF, an all-volunteer group under the leadership of Jim Walker, has restored the Race Point Light Station on Cape Cod, which is one of the finest examples of lighthouse restoration in the nation. The group is also responsible for the care of Long Point and Wood End Lights on Cape Cod. Jim Walker said, "This is what we do, this is why we restored Race Point Lighthouse - to raise money from overnight stays at Race Point so we can save other lighthouses, we are committed to this goal". To learn more about the Avery Point Lighthouse or the Cape Cod group go to www.LighthouseFoundation.orgwww.LighthouseFoundation.org.
You won't want to miss this event
This is one event you will not want to miss. The American Lighthouse Foundation's spring fund raiser is coming up soon. If you have not yet signed up now is the time! The May 31-June 1 event includes a 5-hour, 14 lighthouse, cruise on board the Vista Jubilee out of Warren, RI with a buffet lunch and thousands of dollars in raffle and door prizes plus free goodie bags, an evening dinner at White's of Westport, MA, with more door prizes than one can image, a breakfast meeting the next day and then a private tour of Fort Taber at the site of Clarks Point Lighthouse in nearby New Bedford, MA. All this for only $81.00 per person. Rooms are available at the Hampton Inn in Westport, MA and other area motels. The evening dinner speaker will be Kevin Duffus, who solved one of the greatest lighthouse and civil war mysteries of all time when he located the first order Fresnel lens from America's tallest lighthouse that had been hidden during the Civil War. The lens was removed from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse by Confederate troops who hid it and its whereabouts remained a mystery until just recently when Kevin's sleuthing located the lost lens. He will also autograph copies of his book "The Lost Light" that tells the story and unravels a better-than-fiction mystery! To order tickets for the weekend cruise/dinner and breakfast call 207-646-0245 or write to: American Lighthouse Foundation, P.O. Box 889, Wells, Maine 04090 The book "The Lost Light" is available from Lighthouse Depot as item # www.LighthouseDepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31872 31872 for #21.95 at www.LighthouseDepot.com or by calling 1-800-758-1444.
Dr. Henry Lee to speak at Avery Point Meeting
Dr. Henry Lee, one of the world's foremost forensic scientists and author or coauthor of 20 books will be the guest speaker at The Avery Point Lighthouse Society "Wine & Cheese" event on May 15, at 6:30PM at the Groton Inn & Suites in Groton CT. Dr. Lee is Chief Emeritus of the Connecticut State Police Laboratory and former Director of Public Safety for the State of Connecticut and former Director of the Connecticut State Police Forensics Laboratory. He is a highly sought after speaker and this is event you will not want to miss. For more info e-mail
Lighthouses on Parade Book - A real gem
Special attention for Harbour Lights Collectors
Profit from the sales of the book benefit the American Lighthouse Foundation
The Lighthouses on Parade Book will be out in a few days. This may well be the most unique and unusual lighthouse book to ever be published. Are you familiar with the Cows on Parade in Chicago? If so, this is the same idea, except the theme is lighthouses. The book details with great photographs all of the 10-foot tall artistically designed lighthouses of the Lighthouses on Parade project in southern Maine. Each lighthouse is pictured with information on the company that made it, why they got involved in the project, information on the individual artists, photography of some of the lighthouses as they were being designed, information on the charities that will benefit from the auction of the lighthouses, where they will be located and can be viewed throughout the summer months and much more.
There is a historic section on the lighthouses of Maine with many unusual and rare photographs. The historical section and forward was written by our very own Tim Harrison and will be autographed if you request it at the time of ordering. (To request it online, just enter "Autograph" in the Comments field on the final order page).
One of the lighthouses was done for the American Lighthouse Foundation and sponsored by Shipyard Brewing and Litehouse Foods. Harbour Lights collectors will love the Harbour Lights Lighthouse and you'll want to have Nancy Younger autograph the Harbour Lights page in the book when she makes a personal appearance at Lighthouse Depot on May 17.
Another one of the replica's called "Undercover Lighthouse" was built and designed by Lighthouse Depot employees under the direction of assistant store manager Joan Prentice. The Lighthouse Depot and Harbour Lights 10 foot tall lighthouses will be on display at Lighthouse Depot this summer, while the American Lighthouse Foundation replica will be at various locations of Hannaford Supermarkets in southern Maine to promote the lighthouse restoration efforts of ALF. The book is available from Lighthouse Depot as Item # www.LighthouseDepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=3187431874 for $30.00. When ordering, don't forget to ask to have Tim Harrison or Nancy Younger autograph it for you.
New Books on Alaska and South Carolina Lighthouses
There are two new books out which we think are both outstanding and are "must haves" for any lighthouse buff. "South Carolina Lighthouses, Past and Present" by John Hairr covers an area that there is very little written about. Packed with color and vintage photos it is available as item # www.LighthouseDepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=9133591335 for only $5.95 from Lighthouse Depot . "Lighthouses of Alaska" by Bob and Sandra Shanklin, The Lighthouse People. This book is surely one of the bright spots in lighthouse books this year. Packed with current and vintage photos of this last frontier it is available for only $12.95 from Lighthouse Depot as item # www.LighthouseDepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=9133391333
Last issue's Trivia answer
Last months trivia question was, "For many years I was known as the Fog-bark at this lighthouse. What is my name and what lighthouse did I live at?" The answer was Nemo, a big Newfoundland dog owned by the Captain Farnham the keeper of Maine's Heron Neck Lighthouse. The winner, picked from among the winning answers is Anne Fischer of Medina, Ohio. Congratulations to Anne, who wins the beautiful hard over book, Lighthouses of the Great Lakes by Todd Berger.
This month's Trivia question
I am a short stubby tower with a near identical name to a famous American lighthouse. Before I was lost forever, I was moved three times. What is my name? Send you answer to . We will randomly pick one winner from the correct answers for a special prize from Lighthouse Depot.
Be sure to checkout the Lighthouse Depot www.LighthouseDepot.com/Clearance.cfmClearance Central for great deals on close outs and discontinued items, items and be sure to watch for the new Lighthouse Depot catalog, which is in the mail now. 
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