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Wisconsin's Door County Lighthouse Walk
If you live in the Midwest or want to visit some Great Lakes lighthouses, then this yearly event, held on May 15 and 16 is one you might want to participate in. Benefiting the Door County Maritime Museum and Lighthouse Preservation Society the mainland tour involves 5 lighthouse sites from Sturgeon Bay north to Fish Creek. Separate boat tours will take passengers to or past 5 lighthouses on outlying islands. To buy tickets or request a brochure, call 1-920-743-4045 or log on to www.dcmm.org www.dcmm.org.
Harbour Lights Founders to appear at Cape Cod Event
Bill and Nancy Younger and their daughter Kim Andrews will appear at the American Lighthouse Foundation and Headlights for Lighthouse events on Cape Cod this May 14 and 15. This would be a great opportunity to meet all three of them at one event, a rare opportunity. Tickets for the Saturday night dinner, May 15 are $35 and breakfast tickets are $20 or both events for $50 per person. Most of the lighthouses on Cape Cod will be open for climbing during this special weekend. There will also be lighthouse exhibits, vendors and artist displays at the Holiday Inn. Thousands of dollars in door prizes, raffle items and an auction will take place. Everything benefits the efforts of the American Lighthouse Foundation. This will be a great time to meet lots of lighthouse aficionados and renew old acquaintances and make new ones. Tickets or flyer can be obtained by calling 1-207-646-0245 or on line at www.LighthouseFoundation.org www.LighthouseFoundation.org.
Headlights for Lighthouses
In conjunction with the above event May 14-16 is also the Headlights for Lighthouse weekend on Cape Cod. This is a fun family event open to everyone and if you'd like to find out more go to www.firebirdsforever.ccwww.firebirdsforever.cc. It's only $30 per car to enter which includes a free gift, t-shirt, door prizes, car plaques for each lighthouse visited and much more. Time is running out so we encourage you to sign up for a day of lighthouse fun. Any type of car can register.
West Dennis Light to open
West Dennis Light (formerly) Bass River Light in West Dennis, (Cape Cod) Mass at the Lighthouse Inn will be open for rare public tours on Friday May 14. Reservations are required for the three tours and lectures that will take place at 2, 3 and 4 PM only on that date by calling 1-508-398-2244 Ext. 300.
Maine Lighthouse Tour
Lighthouse Depot is now offering a spectacular 10-day tour of Maine lighthouses that includes northern Massachusetts and New Hampshire. With three dates to choose from you will want to register early for the tour which includes climbing to the tops of some towers, visits to historic sites, shopping, outdoor cookouts, two boat rides and so much more. Never before has a tour this extensive ever been offered of Maine's lighthouses. This could be a great vacation with loved ones, friends and relatives. So, start telling everyone and spread the word around. For more info, go to www.lhdepot.com/tourswww.lhdepot.com/tours Call 1-800-370-0888 to make your reservations today!
New Jersey meeting change
The New Jersey Lighthouse Society's fall meeting will be held on the new date of Oct. 2 at a location to yet be determined. For more information go to www.njlhs.burlco.orgwww.njlhs.burlco.org
Harrison to appear in Michigan
Tim Harrison, cofounder of Lighthouse Depot, editor of Lighthouse Digest and president of the American Lighthouse Foundation will give a presentation at the Big Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers annual dinner meeting on Saturday May 1. The event will be held at the Lincoln Hills Golf Club in Ludington, Michigan and begins at 6PM.
Harrison's talk, "Lighthouses, Why we need to save them" will be an event you will not want to miss. After the meeting he will autograph copies of his books and the new video, Lighthouses of Maine, A Journey Through Time. Evening dinner tickets at $25 per person can be on ordered from the Big Sable Lighthouse, P.O. Box 673, Ludington, MI 49431.
Lighthouse Depot offers a couple of replicas of Big Sable Light www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=48155#48155 and www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=43295#43295 as well as a switch-plate cover www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=10476#10476 and a variety of other products featuring Big Sable Lighthouse can be found on our web site.
Sweetwater Journey - music to the ears
If you love music and songs associated with lighthouses then you'll want to get the newest CD from Sweetwater Journey. Walking the Talk - of Preservation is the second CD release of songs of our lighthouse heritage by this popular group. Songs on the new CD include Circle of Light, Island Dreaming, On Top of the Tower, Daises for Nettie and Jane, Pass It On and the hit, Keepers of Tomorrow. Profits from the sale of CD's by Sweetwater Journey all go to the educational fund of the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. Walking the Talk is available from Lighthouse Depot as Item www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=88895#88895 for $16.95.
Lighthouse ready to topple?
Reports indicate that Florida's Cape St. George Lighthouse near Apalachicola is ready to topple and could easily be destroyed in the first tropical storm of the season. In recent years there have been attempts to save this endangered lighthouse. Apparently the new foundation built several years ago has been washed away. Will another of America's lighthouses soon be lost? Soon the only memory left may be the replica of the lighthouse available from Lighthouse Depot as item www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=43365#43365.
The bomb and the tidal wave
During World War II a tidal wave hit one of California's lighthouses. Was the tidal wave caused by an accident that caused a nuclear explosion, which was then covered up by the government? Look for the story in a future issue of Lighthouse Digest, "The Magazine of Lighthouses." If you are not yet a subscriber it's only $28.00 per year at www.LighthouseDigest.comwww.LighthouseDigest.com or call 1-800-758-1444 and mention code FH404 and you'll get a free "I Love Lighthouses" bumper sticker.
Last month's trivia question
Appointed by President Franklin Pierce, I became this nation's oldest lighthouse keeper to serve on active duty in the United States Lighthouse Service. What was my name and how old was I when I died? The answer is Anthony Christy, who, at 97 years old, was appointed the keeper of the Christina Creek Lighthouse in Delaware Bay on Sept. 22, 1853. When he died at age 105 he was still serving as the lighthouse keeper and was the oldest person to ever serve in that position. Congratulations to Deb C of East Bridgewater, MA whose name was picked from the winning entries. As her prize Deb will receive a copy of the beautiful new hard cover book Lighthouse Encyclopedia by Ray Jones. This fantastic book is available from Lighthouse Depot as item www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=91348#91348 for only $27.95.
Flying Santa
Last Christmas may well be behind us but the Friends of the Flying Santa are busy fund raising for this year's visits by Santa of the Lighthouses. They have several tours you might be interested in. To learn more go to www.flyingsanta.orgwww.flyingsanta.org
U. S. Air loves lighthouses
Attaché the official magazine of U. S. Airways really got into lighthouses in a big way in their March issue. The magazine, which available on all of its airplanes, featured a beautiful cover photo of New York's Little Red Lighthouse and a seven-page full color story called Rays of Hope. Unfortunately the wonderfully written and designed article made no mention of the plight of many of our nation's lighthouses and where people could donate to their preservation.
Straits of Mackinac
Michigan is an excellent state to visit lighthouses and this summer Shepler's Ferry Service is offering a large number of boat cruises to view the offshore lights of the Straits of Mackinac. To request a brochure call them at 800-828-6157 or email them at A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association.
Lighthouse checks
Although this company apparently does not support lighthouse preservation, if you are looking for some nice new lighthouse checks you might consider www.DesignerChecks.comwww.DesignerChecks.com. If you do order some, ask them to donate to a lighthouse restoration project.
Long Island lighthouses can be viewed
East End Lighthouses is offering a Long Island lighthouse cruise on June 9 to visit nine lighthouse sites. The cruise is a benefit to preserve Plum Island Lighthouse. Tickets are $90 each and can be ordered from East End Lighthouses, P.O. Box 21, Greenport, NY or call them at 631-477-4121 or email
Maine's Owls Head Light to open
Owls Head Light, in Owls Head Maine (near Rockland) will offer visitors a rare opportunity on June 19 and 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day to view the interiors of the tower and the keepers house as part of the 150th anniversary of the keeper's house. The keeper's house is currently the residence of the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard cutter Abbie Burgess and is otherwise normally never open to the public. On Sunday the 20th there will be a cake cutting ceremony with the hopes that former keeper's families will be in attendance. Lighthouse Depot offers a miniature replica of Owls Head Light as itemwww.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=48077#48077.
Job opening
USAJobs has posted a job opening with the Department of the Interior, National Park Service vacancy # NPSWASO-04-010. The major duties of the job are working with other government agencies and non-profits in the transfer of ownership of lighthouses under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. For more information go to www.USAJOBS.Comwww.USAJOBS.Com. Click on the Search box then type the word historian in the keyword box and it will take you to the job. If you're interested in the job, don't wait long; the closing date for submitting your application is April 16.
Get-well cards are always nice
Carole Reilly founder of the Delaware Bay Lighthouse Keepers and Friends recently suffered a broken leg and she is now in recovery at a rehab hospital and we're sure she'd love to hear from fellow lighthouse enthusiasts. You don't have to know her, just send a Get Well card and sign it from a Lighthouse Friend. Cards can be sent to Carole Reilly, Genesis at Voorhees, 3001 Evesham Rd, Voorhees, New Jersey 08043.
Great for kids and adults
You can now subscribe on-line to the daily adventures of Capt'n Eli and his undersea adventures. If you or your kids love comic books you might want to visit the web site where you can view past editions and get daily updates. Go to www.captneli.comwww.captneli.com
What's in a name?
In the 1980's the Peche Island Lighthouse was scheduled to be demolished but was saved when Michigan Bank-Port Huron purchased the tower and had it moved to Marine City, Michigan where it sits in Waterworks Park. It was originally part of the Isle Aux Peches Range Lights. The other range light was destroyed many years ago. The name is French meaning Isle of Fish. The city is responsible for the upkeep of the tower but now lacks the money to light up the lights that once illuminated the tower. To learn more about the lighthouse go to the Lighthouse Depot www.lhdepot.com/explorer.cfmExplorer DataBase.
Hummel Lighthouse
While most people don't think of lighthouses when they think of Hummel collectibles, the company is apparently out to change that. The first of the M. I. Hummel Lighthouse Series collectibles," All By Myself " features a young girl with her precious summer holiday souvenir - a pinwheel. She admires her toy on the shore, while the black and white spiraled Cape Hatteras Lighthouse tower casts a brilliant light in the background. Yes, the lighthouse in this collectible even lights up. The new series celebrates small children immersed in the joys of childhood. They are handcrafted of fine earthenware by master artisans of Goebel Germany. The first in the series is available from Lighthouse Depot as item www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=35157#35157 and is a collectible that will be cherished for many years.
Thomas Point Light to get new owner
The National Park Service has completed the review process application of the Transfer of Ownership of Ownership of Maryland's famous Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse. The ownership of the lighthouse will be transferred to the City of Annapolis, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, Anne Arundel County and the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lighthouse Society (USLHS), which will actually have all responsibility of the lighthouse's management, preservation and operation. The Annapolis Maritime Museum will serve as the primary shore-based departure point for tours to the lighthouse, and the Chesapeake Chapter of the USLHS will have lighthouse exhibits at the museum. The County government will provide services to the partnership in the area of cultural resources, preservation and environmental consulting. The Transfer of Ownership Ceremony will take place May 1 as part of the Maritime Heritage Festival in Annapolis, MD.
Lighthouse Depot offers a number of wonderful products featuring Thomas Point Light such as a Thomas Point replica with revolving light www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=58046#58046, Thomas Point Pendulum Clock www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=33530#33530 and a Thomas Point Gold Charm www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=11526#11526.
This month's Trivia Question
I was one of the few important lighthouses in the world to be built on stilts. With my many windows, verandas and tower I looked more like a seaside hotel than a lighthouse. Clues: I was slightly damaged in an earthquake. One of my keepers died as a result of burns he suffered while working on me. I no longer stand at the location I was built at. Please send your answer to . One winner will be picked at random from the winning entries.
Grant money
In spite of all that has been done in recent years, many of our nation's lighthouses are still in need of enormous amounts of money to save them. But, where will the money come from? If you know of foundations or corporations that have grant money available for preservation and restoration projects please share that information. You can email your information to .
Lighthouse Depot Data Base
When looking for lighthouse products such as gifts, collectibles, books, videos, flags, prints, clothing, jewelry and more be sure to browse through the on-line version of Lighthouse Depot where you will find hundreds of items not shown in the catalog. Some of the many fine products we have available include the Outer Cape Cod Lights print www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=20905A#20905A, Lace Lighthouse Shower Curtain www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=10981#10981, Lighthouses of Maine video in VHS www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=26250#26250 or DVD www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=26251#26251 or the Cape Hatteras flag www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=15079#15079. Don't forget we carry the entire line of Harbour Lights and we even some that are exclusive to Lighthouse Depot such as the Portland Observatory www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=42902#42902 and Mt. Greylock Memorial www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=42903#42903 and Ft. Washington Bell Tower www.lhdepot.com/Order.cfm?orderitem=42901#42901. By using our search engine you can browse though many products by either the name of the lighthouse or by product type.
Don't forget to visit the Lighthouse Depot www.lhdepot.com/clearance.cfmClearance site where many discontinued items are added on a regular basis.
Visit us
And, if you're planning a visit to Maine this year, make sure you include at stop at our retail store, which is minutes off the Maine Turnpike. Located on historic U.S. Rt. 1 in Wells between Ogunquit and Kennebunk on the southern coast; it's a stop well worth the visit. The communities of Wells and nearby Ogunquit area are well known for their many fine restaurants, motels and beaches and Wells, with its many antique stores, is known as the "Antique Capitol" of Maine. Have some fun this year, visit Maine and stop by to say hello.
Until next time, this is Lighthouse Depot, Saving Lighthouses, One Gift at a Time. "We'll leave the lighthouse on for you." 
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