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Depot Dispatch May 19 2003
New Maine lighthouse quarter
Harborfest in Michigan
Spring Point to be repaired
New Lighthouse Exhibit
Lighthouse Transferred
Lighthouse For Sale
Donations needed for lens
New Presque Isle lens coming out
Chapter looking for members
Big Sable's Annual meeting
Tickets still available
First Day of Issue
Lighthouse Lecture
Last issue's Trivia Answer
This month's Trivia question
Lighthouses on Parade
10 years and growing
June Digest issue out soon
Award for Jupiter
Vacation Time
New Maine lighthouse quarter
The new Maine lighthouse quarter has been struck and is in production at the U.S. Mint. The new quarter featuring Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Bristol Maine will be released to the general public in June. There will be a special ceremony held at the lighthouse on June 9 for the release of the new quarter, however the exact time of the ceremony has not yet been set. When the time of the ceremony is determined, it will be posted at www.LighthouseFoundation.orgwww.LighthouseFoundation.org. You might want to plan on attending; it will be a great moment in lighthouse history!
Harborfest in Michigan
The theme for this year's Harborfest, to be held June 13, 14 and 15 in South Haven Michigan, is "Salute to the Troops." This year's Harborfest also celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the South Haven Lighthouse, which will be open during the three-day event. The festival site includes 100 booths as well as many food vendors. A Pancake Breakfast will open the festival. Entertainment will follow opening ceremonies featuring over 19 bands and entertainers over three days. The festival is free and open to the public. More information can be found at www.southhavenmi.comwww.southhavenmi.com or at www.bythebigbluewater.comwww.bythebigbluewater.com.
Spring Point to be repaired
Maine's Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, in South Portland, which is called a "spark plug" lighthouse because of its spark plug appearance, will undergo some major restoration this year. The canopy, which has deteriorated badly, will be replaced by fabricated duplicates. The supporting framework will be cleaned and painted and parts of the original canopy will eventually be on display at the lighthouse.
New Lighthouse Exhibit
"Seasons of Light" a new lighthouse exhibit, is now open at Clarke Historical Library (in the newly remodeled Park Library) at Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. The exhibit will run through September 19 and includes photographs, books and manuscripts donated by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association and by John Wagner, author of "Michigan's Lighthouses: An Aerial Perspective." For more information call Frank Boles at 989-774-3965.
Lighthouse Transferred
Ownership of Massachusetts' Plum Island Lighthouse, officially known as Newburyport Harbor Light, has transferred from the Coast Guard to the City of Newburyport. The ceremony, this past May 10, was presided over by Capt. Dan May of the Coast Guard; Rear Admiral Vivien Crea, Commander of the First Coast Guard District, provided the keynote address. The Friends have meticulously restored the lighthouse, which at one time was licensed to the Friends of Plum Island Lighthouse through the help of the American Lighthouse Foundation. The Friends of Plum Island now have a lease from the City and will maintain the restored lighthouse and keep it open to the public for scheduled tours.
Lighthouse For Sale
New York's privately owned 1838 Selkirk Lighthouse is for sale. Located at the mouth of the Salmon River and eastern Lake Ontario, halfway between Syracuse and Watertown New York, the lighthouse has been privately owned since 1895. The sale would include the lighthouse and approximately 5 acres of property with a commercial marina and mini-resort. This income producing property is going for $1,250,000.00. Interested parties can contact attorney Robert D. Ventre at 315-475-8461 or by email at . To view the lighthouse and to view additional information go to www.salmon-river.com/marina.htmwww.salmon-river.com/marina.htm
Donations needed for lens
The American Lighthouse Foundation's "Museum of Lighthouse History" has a unique opportunity to acquire an AERO LENS very similar to what was used at one time at Maine's Portland Head Light. It is made by Corning and is in a heavy brass and bronze frame made by Westinghouse. The lens is 37" in diameter while the frame is square and is 37 1/2" in each direction. It weighs around 250 pounds and would have been the equivalent of a 3rd order Fresnel lens, but with its modern electric lamp was more powerful than a 1st or 2nd order lens. Manufacture of this type of lens started in 1935 and there are still some in use at various locations. The asking price is $6,500. With all of the foundation's money committed to lighthouse restoration projects it does not have the money to purchase the lens nor will the seller donate or loan it to the museum. It is hoped that those reading this newsletter might step forward with donations or a single benefactor might come forward. Naturally, all donations are tax deductible and a plaque would be placed with the lens in honor of a single benefactor. If you are interested in helping, contact the American lighthouse Foundation, P.O. Box 889, Wells, ME 04090 or call them at 207-646-0245. Donations can also be made on line at www.LighthouseFoundation.orgwww.LighthouseFoundation.org.
New Presque Isle lens coming out
The United States Coast Guard is removing, for repairs, the historic third order Fresnel lens at New Presque Isle Light in Presque Isle, Michigan. The priceless lens will be replaced by a modern plastic optic until such time as the local historical society can raise $100,000 to restore the original lens and have it reinstalled in the tower.
Chapter looking for members
The newly formed Friends of Perkins Island Light, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, is looking people interested in joining the group and or volunteering. Individual membership is $25.00; Family membership is $35.00, Supporting membership is $100.00; Sustaining membership is $500.00 and Benefactor membership is $1,000.00. If you are interested you can contact them at Friends of Perkins Island Light, P.O. Box 376, Georgetown, Maine 04548-0376 or visit www.LighthouseFoundation.orgwww.LighthouseFoundation.org
Big Sable's Annual meeting
Michigan's Big Sable Lighthouse annual meeting will be held May 31st at the Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Ludington, Michigan. The evening event, which starts at 6 p.m., is $28.00 per person in advance to Big Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association, P.O. Box 673, Ludington, MI 49431.
Tickets still available
Tickets to the American Lighthouse Foundation dinner meeting, in Westport, MA, are still available for $32.00 per person. The evening dinner speaker will be Kevin Duffus, the man who found the missing lens from America's tallest lighthouse (Cape Hatteras, North Carolina). This is an evening you will not want to miss with thousands of dollars in raffle and door prizes to be given away as well as an auction for an original lighthouse painting. Tickets can be ordered on line at www.LighthouseFoundation.orgwww.LighthouseFoundation.org or by calling 207-646-0245. Kevin's book, "The Lost Light" is available from Lighthouse Depot as www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31872#31872 for only $21.95.
First Day of Issue
The First Day of Issue of the new Southeastern Lighthouse Postage Stamps will be June 13 at Tybee Island Lighthouse in Georgia. The stamps will go on sale at post offices nationwide the next day or shortly thereafter. Be sure to buy some to show your support of lighthouses and their preservation.
Lighthouse Lecture
Jeremy D'Entremont will give a lecture on the Lights of Cape Ann and will recount some fascinating stories about Edward Rowe Snow and his relationship to these lights on June 4 at 7 p.m. The event is presented by the Thacher Island Association. The event is open to the public and will be held at Rockport Community Center, at 58 Broadway, Rockport, MA. Tickets are $10.00 each. For more information you can call 978-546-7214.
Last issue's Trivia Answer
Last month's trivia question was. "I am a short stubby tower with a nearly identical name to a famous American lighthouse. Before I was lost forever, I was moved three times. What is my name?" The answer is - North Carolina's Cape Hatteras Beacon. The winner, drawn at random from the few people who answered correctly, is Ed Guy from Dana Point, California. Ed wins a beautiful Little River Lighthouse afghan, which depicts the lighthouse when it was relit in October 2001 as a "Beacon of Freedom to the World."
This month's Trivia question
What is the name of the first lighthouse, which was actually built as a lighthouse, to appear on United States money? Send your answer to and one name will be picked at random from those with the correct answer. The winner receives a wonderful prize from www.lhdepot.comLighthouse Depot.
Lighthouses on Parade
The 10-foot uniquely designed lighthouses of "Lighthouses on Parade" are now on display at over 60 locations in southern Maine and will continue to be, until September when they will be auctioned off for charity. Two of them, Cape Ape and Undercover Lighthouse are on display at www.lhdepot.comLighthouse Depot in Wells, Maine. There are several others on display at businesses near Lighthouse Depot as well as many on display in the Portland area. So when visiting Maine this year, be sure to take the track them down and photograph all of them. But, before you visit, be sure to order the beautiful hard cover book, "Lighthouses on Parade", which is available as www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31874#31874 for only $30.00 plus shipping. Ask to have it autographed by Tim Harrison who wrote the historical section.
10 years and growing
May is the 10th anniversary for the Lighthouse Depot retail store, which later led to the Lighthouse Depot Catalog and our fantastic www.lhdepot.comweb site. If you have never visited Maine or haven't been here in a while, this would be a great time to stop by the store and browse through the ever growing and ever changing selection of unique gift items.
June Digest issue out soon
The next issue of Lighthouse Digest Magazine will be out soon and if you are not yet a subscriber to the magazine now is a good time to join. It's only $28.00 per year and you can subscribe on line at www.lhdepot.com/subscribe.cfmLighthouse Digest or by calling 1-800-758-1444. The June issue will have such stories as The Passing of Louis Bauchan, (the last known surviving lighthouse keeper to have served in the United States Lighthouse Service), Lost Lights of Pennsylvania, Memories of Cuttyhunk Lighthouse, Lighthouses on Parade, Teenage Lighthouse Keepers, and The Terror and Tragedy of Keeper George Gustavus; plus much more. A subscription to www.lhdepot.com/subscribe.cfmLighthouse Digest also makes a wonderful gift.
Award for Jupiter
The Loxahatchee River Historical Society will receive The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation's Outstanding Achievement Award for the restoration of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. They are to be congratulated for a job well done.
Vacation Time
If you're planning a lighthouse vacation this year, you might want to order a lighthouse book ahead of time. The Lighthouse Depot website has a large selection of lighthouse books for every region of the country and some wonderful lighthouse maps. Our favorite books for directions are:
A Travelers Guide to America's Atlantic Coast Lighthouses www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31868#31868,
A Travelers Guide to 116 Michigan Lighthouses www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31540#31540 and
A Travelers Guide to 116 Western Great Lakes Lighthouses www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=31677#31677.
Or you might consider one of our many maps such as:
The Maine Lighthouse Map and Guide www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=93349#93349,
Northwest Lighthouse Map #www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=8838788387
or of course there's always the Map of United States Lighthouses www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=88241#88241. Even if you are not visiting one of the regions of U.S. these maps are just plain fun to have or you might consider framing them. While visiting the lighthouses be sure to take lots of photos and save them for this year's Lighthouse Digest photo contest, which starts in November of this year.
Don't forget visit the www.lhdepot.com/clearance.cfmLighthouse Depot Clearance Central where for great deals on close outs and discontinued items. The items in here change often so be sure to check back on a regular basis. 
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