|
By Timothy Harrison
County threatens arrest of lighthouse officials
The Outer Banks Conservationists, who own and manage North Carolina’s Currituck Lighthouse, have been served a summons ordering them to cease operations unless they comply with the county’s parking ordinance. Currently the lighthouse tower is open to the public to climb, the grounds are available to stroll, and the gift shop does a brisk business that helps pay for the cost to maintain the property, which was restored by the non-profit group. County officials want to shut down the lighthouse. However, the Special Deputy Attorney General for the State of North Carolina says the county government does not have the legal right to impose its local zoning requirements on the lighthouse. In the meantime, Currituck County Commissioner Paul Martin said the county’s orders must be followed or the non-profit group will be fined $100 per day and if the fine is not paid, the officials of Outer Banks Conservationists could be arrested.
The Currituck County (NC) government has been fighting with the non-profit lighthouse group for years while wasting an unknown amount of taxpayer money in the process. Recently the county government lost the battle for ownership of the lighthouse when the federal government ruled under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act that the rightful owners of the lighthouse are the Outer Banks Conservationists.
However, the county government, upset with the federal ruling, continues to harass the non-profit group by whatever means they can. Perhaps it is time to call for a nationwide boycott of Currituck County, North Carolina until such time as the county officials apologize for their mean-spirited behavior and let the lighthouse people get about doing their job, maintaining and operating the lighthouse for the benefit of all of us.
Lighthouse Depot has a beautiful lighted replica of Currituck Light available as Item #45007 for $48.00 as well as a small replica from Harbour Lights as item #48088 for only $18.95.
Mr. Lighthouse to be honored at ceremony
You’re invited to attend an event for Ken Black
The United States Coast Guard will be honoring Ken Black with a special lifetime achievement award for saving lighthouse artifacts. The event will take place Wednesday, May 19 at 2 PM at the American Legion Hall, 335 Limerock Street Rockland, Maine Ph #594-2901
Ken is founder and curator of the Shore Village Museum in Rockland, which has the largest collection of lighthouse lenses and lighthouse equipment in a museum in the United States. Ken, 80, is also the Honorary Chairman of the American Lighthouse Foundation and had an illustrious career in the United States Coast Guard, which included a stint as the Captain of a lightship. He has been involved nearly his entire adult life in lighthouse preservation. His wife, Dot Black, is Chairperson of the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation. Please make note that the location of the event has been changed from the Rockland, Maine Coast Guard Station to the American Legion Hall to accommodate additional people. You are invited and encouraged to attend. Please RSVP to Dee@LHDigest.com. Light refreshments will be available.
Last chance to attend lighthouse event
Time is running out to order your tickets to attend the American Lighthouse Foundation’s May 15 and 16 events on Cape Cod. Most of the lighthouses on Cape Cod will be open that weekend as part of the Cape Cod Maritime Week and there will be lighthouse exhibits at the Holiday Inn in Falmouth, MA. The Saturday evening dinner meeting (May 15) will have thousands of dollars in raffle items and Bob Trapani Jr. of the Delaware Bay Lighthouse Foundation will give a lively presentation. The Sunday morning breakfast will have some large ticket raffle items that you won’t want to miss. Bill and/or Nancy Younger of Harbour Lights will also be in attendance.
Dinner tickets for Sat. May 15 evening dinner are $35.00 and breakfast tickets are $20.00 or buy both for $50.00 a savings of $5.00. To order your tickets call 1-207-646-0245 today or go on line at www.LighthouseFoundation.org. You do not have to be a member to attend - everyone is welcome, so pass the word around.
Lighthouse Exhibits & Art Show
As part of the Maritime events on Cape Cod this coming weekend there will be lighthouse exhibits and an artist show at the Holiday Inn in Falmouth, MA on Friday, May 14 from 3pm - 8PM and on Saturday May 15 from 8AM to 12 noon.
On Sunday, May 16, there will be lighthouse book signings and items for sale at the Holiday Inn in Falmouth, MA. The public is invited and admission is free to the exhibits and art show,
Headlights for Lighthouses
Also taking place that same weekend in conjunction with the ALF spring meeting is the Headlights for Lighthouses Car Cruise, with all kinds of wonderful giveaways and prizes. Any type of car can register and the cost is only $30.00 per car with all money raised to benefit the American Lighthouse Foundation. For more information go to www.firebirdsforever.cc or call Roxie at 207-439-8905.
West Dennis Light to open
West Dennis Light (formerly Bass River Lighthouse) on Cape Cod, in West Dennis, MA at the Lighthouse Inn will be open for rare public tours on Friday May 14. Reservations are required for the three tours that day, which will take place at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00PM by calling 1-508-398-2244 Ext. 300.
Shore Village Museum move delayed
Money shortages have delayed the move of Maine’s Shore Village Museum to its new location in Rockland, Maine until 2005. The museum has currently raised $700,000 in cash toward its $2 million goal. When the move is completed the museum will be changing its name to "Maine’s Lighthouse Museum" and will be located in the newly restored and renovated Gateway Center on Rockland’s waterfront. The museum will be managed by the City of Rockland, which has now hired Laura Zylstra to lead the fund raising efforts. Chris White Design of Crownsville Maryland, which had a hand in designing Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, has been hired to design the new museum. They will work under the leadership of former Mystic Seaport curator Ben Fuller who is now the curator of the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, Maine. The museum, founded by former Coast Guardsman Ken Black has the largest collection of lighthouse lenses on display in a museum in the United States.
Norfolk to host 7th Maritime Conference
On October 27-30 over thirty leading maritime organizations will co-host the annual gathering of maritime history scholars, museum, archive professionals and enthusiasts to discuss and learn maritime preservation and heritage. This year’s conference will be held at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, which is a short walk to historic sites including the Battleship Wisconsin. Room rates are only $89 per night. More information can be obtained at www.nauticus.org or by calling Capt. Channing Zucker at 757-499-1044.
125th Anniversary Celebration
This October 15-17 will be the 175th anniversary celebration of the Hooper Strait Lighthouse at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland. The event will include a cake cutting ceremony, special memorabilia and guided tours of the lighthouse. On Saturday Oct. 16 at 2pm, Ed Okonowicz, award winning author and storyteller with give a presentation on tales of unexplained lights, ghostly sightings and the eerie loneliness of the lighthouse keeper. The public is invited and encouraged to attend. Lighthouse Depot offers a small replica of Hooper Strait Lighthouse by Spoontiques as item #48038 for $18.95.
Jacobsville Lighthouse For Sale
Rare opportunity to live in your own lighthouse !!! For all of us that have ever dreamed of living in a lighthouse, this will be a dream come true. Dating from 1870, the historic structure, originally known as the Portage River Lighthouse, was built at the entrance to the Portage River on Lake Superior in Jacobsville, Michigan. The lighthouse was discontinued by the government in the early 1900’s and was purchased by Ray and Sylvia Joynt in 1959 and it’s been in their family ever since. Daughter and son-in-law Helen and Larry Stevens bought the property in the 1990’s and made it their year-round lighthouse home.
To learn more about the lighthouse or to contact the owners with your offer, go to their web site at www.jacobsvillelighthouse.com. If you are the lucky person to be the new owner, be sure you let us know.
Lighthouse plate for Washington State?
Washington lighthouse lovers are petitioning their Dept. of Motor Vehicles for a lighthouse license plate. To find out more and sign the petition contact Gloria Wahlin at Admiralty Head Lighthouse at gloriaw@wsu.edu.
Go fly a kite
Kite Day at Point Robinson Lighthouse on Vashon-Maury Island, Washington will be held from noon to 4:00pm on Sat. May 22. Food, games, music, displays, and tours of the 1915 lighthouse will be available. The event is sponsored by the Keepers of Point Robinson and the Vashon Park District.
Restoration begins
The 107-year-old Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, in South Portland, Maine, is in the process of getting a new canopy, which shields the main deck and foundation of the lighthouse. Following completion of the restoration, a Grand Reopening celebration is planned.
Lighthouse race date set
The second annual Light to Light Walk & Run is scheduled for Sunday, June 20, in Rockland, Maine. The event is part of the festivities of Maine Lighthouse Week hosted by the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse as a fundraiser for the ongoing restoration. The 71/2-mile event starts at Owls Head Light in Owls Head, Maine and ends at the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse in Rockland, Maine. Prizes will be awarded. Registration can be done on-line at www.rocklandlighthouse.com or by calling 207-785-4609 or send an email to brkwater@midcoast.com.
A replica of Owls Head Light is available from Lighthouse Depot as item #48077. Also available is a replica by Harbour Lights of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse as item #42248 and a LED Framed print as item #20203. Also available is a Penobscot Bay framed print, which features Rockland Breakwater Light, Owls Head Light, Browns Head Light, and five others as item #20902.
Last 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. The clues given were: 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 where I was built. The correct answer is the Southampton Shoals Lighthouse in San Francisco Bay, CA. The Southampton Shoals Lighthouse, with its 5th order lens was built in 1905. In 1960 the lighthouse was deactivated and the top two stories were relocated to St. Francis Yacht Club on Tinsley Island in the San Joaquin River. Congratulations to Anita Ryan of Waterbury, CT whose name was randomly picked from among those who submitted the correct answer. We are sending her a beautiful Lighthouse Depot blanket that is great for a sofa or chair, or to keep the car for picnics.
Tickets still available for Maine lighthouse cruise
Penobscot Bay public lighthouse cruise, sponsored by New England Lighthouse Lovers (NELL), a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation on the M/V Monhegan from Middle Pier, Rockland, ME, will take place on Sat. June 12, 2004 (Rain date June 13), 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM. Itinerary includes the following 8 lighthouses: Rockland Breakwater, Owls Head, Heron Neck, Saddleback Ledge, Isle au Haut, Deer Island Thorofare, Goose Rocks, and Browns Head. Food service available. Passage $30 with proceeds to lighthouse preservation. For tickets call Dot Black of the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, Chapter of ALF, at 207- 785-4609.
Disagreements stall efforts to save lighthouse
Liability issues at South Carolina’s Morris Island Lighthouse between the State of South Carolina, which owns the lighthouse, and the U S Army Corps of Engineers who will be restoring the lighthouse are stalling the restoration work needed to save the structure. The non-profit group trying to save the lighthouse fears that while the government agencies sit around haggling, the lighthouse could collapse into the ocean. It is now expected that Congressional action will be needed to get the $5 million restoration on track.
Seguin 200th booklets found
Recently found tucked away in a box in the corner of Maine’s Seguin Island Lighthouse were a number of copies of the Seguin Island Lighthouse booklet that was published for the 200th anniversary of the lighthouse in 1995. This is an amazing booklet that is packed full of historical information and rare photos of life at the lighthouse. Considering the book was published nine years ago and not widely publicized at the time, many of you may not have this unique part of history in your library. Seguin Island Lighthouse is the highest lighthouse above water in Maine and its unique tower has a magnificent First order Fresnel lens that is still operational. You might want to order a copy now before they are sold out by sending $10.00, which includes shipping, to Friends of Seguin Island, P.O. Box 866, Bath, ME 04530. Be sure you tell them you are ordering the book, "Seguin 200."
Seguin work day
Seguin Island will be hosting a volunteer workday on June 12. Volunteers should bring work gloves, lunch, beverages, snacks, cameras and bug repellent. To volunteer for the workday call Kevin Race at 207-442-0969. Seguin’s Annual Barbeque and annual action will be held at the Pomham Chapel and Library in Pomham Beach, Maine on July 17. FMI email troywallace@gwi.net.
Lighthouse Depot offers a Harbour Lights replica of Seguin Island Light as item #42256.
Portsmouth Sunset Cruise
A Sunset Cruise to benefit Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, a chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation, will be held on Friday, June 25, on board the M/V Granite State, leaving from Rye Harbor State Marina on Route 1A in Rye, New Hampshire. The narrated cruise will leave at 7 p.m. sharp and will return between 9 and 9:30 PM Reservations are required -- call 603-431-9155 or email FPHL@lighthouse.cc<. Tickets are $20. There will be door prizes and raffles on board, in addition to the viewing of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, Whaleback Lighthouse, and the Isles of Shoals including White Island Lighthouse. There is an onboard snack bar. A replica of Portsmouth Lighthouse is available from Lighthouse Depot as Item #42259 as well as a LED Framed print item #20218.
Michigan lighthouse to open
Beginning June 12, the public will be able to climb to the top of Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse. The climb to the top will offer a panoramic view of the Straits of Mackinac and, of course, the magnificent Mackinac Bridge. The northeastern part of the Michigan, as well as the upper peninsula, make for a perfect lighthouse vacation with so many lighthouses that are easy to drive to and there are many more that can be viewed by Shepler's Boat Tours that are co-sponsored by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association. Harbour Lights has a replica Old Mackinac, which is available from Lighthouse Depot as #42419 and a smaller version as #48130. It is also featured on the Straits of Mackinac wastebasket #10533.
Pennsylvania’s Erie Lighthouse to be relit
This June 19 at high noon, at ceremonies at the lighthouse the Erie Land Lighthouse in Erie, PA will be relit as part of the dedication of the new lantern room and restoration of the historic lighthouse. The actual Erie Land Lighthouse Festival will be taking place the weekend of June 19-20 celebrating a $400,000 restoration. For more information go to www.porterie.net or www.visiteriepa.com or call 1-800-524-3743.
Restoration at Prospect Harbor Light in jeopardy
The American Lighthouse Foundation says that several of their restoration projects are now in imminent jeopardy as donations are at an all time low. This, coupled with the fact that many grant givers have little, if any, money to give this year, puts several of ALF’s restoration projects at risk. According to Joe Lebherz, vice-president of the non-profit group, the biggest concern is the immediate work that needs to be done at Prospect Harbor Lighthouse in Prospect Harbor, Maine. He went on to say, "If we don’t restore the lighthouse this summer, it may likely collapse or suffer deterioration that will be beyond repair. The lantern room must be removed, a new deck must be installed and water damaged timbers must be replaced this year if the old wooden tower is to be saved." Donations can be sent to American Lighthouse Foundation, P.O. Box 889, Wells, ME, 04090 or made on line at www.LighthouseFoundation.org.
This month’s trivia question
By what lighthouse was the famous land and sea battle fought where 1000 patriots under the command of Paul Revere and Dudley Saltonstall lost 43 ships and fled the British? Send your answer to Dee@LHDigest.com. From all the correct answers we will randomly pick one winner to receive a wonderful prize from Lighthouse Depot.
Special First-Ever Harbour Lights event coming to Lighthouse Depot
Nancy Younger co-founder of Harbour Lights and her daughter Kim Andrews, president of Harbour Lights, will make a rare joint personal appearance to autograph replicas of Harbour Lights at Lighthouse Depot in Wells, Maine on Saturday May 22, 2004, from 1PM - 3PM. There will be door prizes and loads of fun. A replica of the Three Sisters Lighthouses #42668 which is only available for sale at a Special Event, or any other Harbour Lights replicas can be autographed by Nancy and Kim at that time. Plus, we’d be happy to hold your replica(s) until September, when they can be autographed by Harbour Lights founder Bill Younger, giving you the rare opportunity to have your replica(s) autographed by all three of them. Remember, you do not need to be present to order a Harbour Lights replica to be autographed. Orders can be placed by mail or phone by calling 1-800-758-1444. To view the complete line of Harbour Lights collectibles visit our web site at www.LighthouseDepot.com. This would also be a great time to order an autographed Harbour Lights replica of the Mt. Greylock Memorial, #42903, which is only available from Lighthouse Depot.
As a point of interest we have an absolutely fantastic LED framed print of one of the Three Sisters lighthouses #20174 that would make a wonderful addition to display with your Harbour Lights Three Sisters replica.
Museum expansion
Lighthouse Depot is proud to be a sponsor of the American Lighthouse Foundation and its all non paid volunteer efforts to save lighthouses and their history. The Foundation’s Museum of Lighthouse History, located directly next door to Lighthouse Depot, is now undergoing some major changes and expansion for the benefit of the public. The American Lighthouse Foundation is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) and donations to the group’s efforts are needed now more than ever before. Donations can be sent to the American Lighthouse Foundation, P.O. Box 889, Wells, ME, 04090 or on-line at www.LighthouseFoundation.org. Gifts of at least $5,000 or more will receive permanent recognition in the museum.
Cruise to benefit DeTour Reef
DeTour Reef Light Preservation Society’s (DRLPS) seventh annual entertaining and educational cruise up the St. Mary’s River and through the Soo Locks, is scheduled for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20, 2004. Sign up early for this popular lighthouse benefit cruise that will take you to the offshore DeTour Reef Lighthouse, up the historic St. Mary’s River and through the famous Soo Locks on board a 65-foot, double-decker boat. Boat boards in DeTour Village at the Ferry Dock at 10:30 a.m. and returns via chartered bus from Sault Ste Marie at 6:30 p.m. Ticket cost is $80 per person (children five and under are free) and includes lunch, snacks, tour narration, cash bar, and prizes. A portion of your ticket is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
The DRLPS was established in 1998 as a non-profit organization to restore and preserve the DeTour Reef Light as a magnificent monument to Michigan’s maritime history. Located a mile offshore in northern Lake Huron at the eastern end of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the lighthouse is being restored and public tours are planned for 2005. For River Cruise tickets, and other information about the lighthouse, go to www.DRLPS.com or contact DRLPS, PO Box 519, DeTour Village MI 49725, 906-493-6079.
Maine Lighthouse Tour - You won’t want to miss out on this !
Lighthouse Depot is offering spectacular Maine and northern New England ten-day luxury motor coach lighthouse tours. The dates are Aug 6-15, Sept. 10-19 (Sept. is sold out) and October 1-10. The largest concentration of the oldest historic lighthouses is in Maine, the Lighthouse State, making this guided tour an event of a lifetime. You will see over 30 lighthouses as well as museums, historic sites, forts and more. Included are a boat cruise to tour an island lighthouse, a whale watching tour, shopping at world famous LL Bean, a dinner cruise in Boston Harbor plus a trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. For more information or to sign up, go to www.LighthouseDepot.com/Tours or call 1-800-370-0888.
Thomas Point Lighthouse transferred to public & non-profit partnership
On May 1st, at a ceremony at the Annapolis City Dock, in Annapolis, MD, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton signed the paperwork authorizing the transfer of the Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse to a public & non-profit partnership. Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse, built in 1875, is located in the Chesapeake Bay, just a few miles southeast of Annapolis, Maryland. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1999 because it is the last of its breed; it is the only intact cottage-style screwpile lighthouse in the country that is located in its original position and is still an active aid to navigation. Authorization was given under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act to transfer the lighthouse to the City of Annapolis, as the new owner, which in turn has leased all aspects of the lighthouse preservation and operations to the United States Lighthouse Society and its Chesapeake Chapter. The Annapolis Maritime Museum is the third partner and will serve as the primary shore-based forum for lighthouse exhibits and will be the point of departure for public tours. The partnership is rounded out with the County of Anne Arunde, which will provide environmental, cultural, and preservation expertise. The partners will now put into place their preservation and restoration plans, which have been guided by lighthouse preservationist "extraordinaire" Cullen Chambers. Although the major preservation and restoration activities will extend over the next five years, the partners plan to start conducting limited public tours starting in the summer of 2005.
For more information, please go to the new website for the lighthouse: www.thomaspointlighthouse.org, and for more information on the transfer ceremony, please see the following release from the Department of the Interior: www.doi.gov/news/040503a
Lighthouse Depot offers a number of products with Thomas Point Lighthouse including a Pendulum Clock #33530, a Lefton replica with revolving light #58046 and a Harbour Lights replica #42421.
Learning about lighthouses
To learn more about lighthouses we encourage school groups, historians and the general public to visit our web site at www.LighthouseDepot.com. By typing in the name of a lighthouse or a keyword in the search box, our web site will direct you to historical information, stories and photographs of many of the lighthouses throughout the world. If you know of someone that likes lighthouses, please tell him or her about Lighthouse Depot.
The magazine
We would encourage you to subscribe to Lighthouse Digest Magazine, which also makes a great gift. A subscription is only $28.00 per year at www.LighthouseDigest.com
Be sure to visit the Lighthouse Depot Clearance section where discontinued and closeout products are listed on a regular basis.
Lighthouse Depot - saving lighthouses, one gift at a time. 
|
