By Sue Clark on Oct 14, 2009 in Featured | 7 Comments 
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Thousands of Dollars In Damage
Western Michigan’s iconic lighthouse, Holland Harbor, also known familiarly as “Big Red,” was vandalized over October 7 and 8. Using a construction ladder to climb in and break out a window, the perpetrators discovered red and white paint and dumped it starting in the basement boiler room, tracking it up the stairs and splattering it everywhere, all the way to the lantern room.
Besides the paint damage, a light at the top was broken, and a $20,000 display on loan to the Holland Harbor Lighthouse Commission from the Holland Museum was demolished. The vandals also tore off flag holders, and left scratch marks. Damage is estimated at thousands of dollars, without even figuring in the man hours needed to take care of the mess.
Latest Lighthouse News
By Sue Clark on Oct 30, 2009 in Lighthouses For Sale, News | 2 Comments Print This Post
Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Sells For $77,000
After a flurry of bidding that ultimately went to the original bidder, nicknamed samsloan, the beautiful Fairport Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse ended up in the hands of a local millionaire and founder of the Osborne Construction Companies, Jerome T. Osborne, of Mentor, Ohio. For the money, Mr. Osborne gets one of the more attractive lighthouses that have come up for auction, and tentative plans at this time, according to the MSNBC station WKYC.Com, are to merely preserve and protect the station.
By Sue Clark on Oct 28, 2009 in News, Press Release | 4 Comments Print This Post
U.S. Coast Guard to remove Big Island lighthouse at Kauhola
Press Release
HAWI, Big Island — After several years of consultation with State of Hawaii historic preservation officials, the U.S. Coast Guard has determined the best course of action for a lighthouse at a rapidly eroding site on the Big Island is its removal.
The Kauhola Lighthouse sits on a 3.5-acre federal government property north of Hawi in the Kohala area of the Big Island and is in danger of falling down a steep cliff face if no action is taken. Last month, the Coast Guard and a contractor erected a mono-pole light to aid mariners in their navigation of the coastline.
By Sue Clark on Oct 22, 2009 in News | 7 Comments Print This Post
California Park Budget Cuts To Blame
In what is sure to be a major disappointment for west coast photographers, the annual relighting of the First Order Fresnel lens at Pigeon Point Lighthouse in California has been canceled for this year. Originally set to take place on November 14, the Park Service has announced that budget cuts have precluded it from happening this year. This would have been the celebration of the 137th year of the first illumination of the lighthouse, which this ceremony commemorates.
According to the California State Parks, the cancellation is necessitated as a result of current budget restrictions, position vacancies and mandated employee furloughs.
By Sue Clark on Oct 20, 2009 in News | Comments Welcome Print This Post
Mischief In The Men’s Room
This time, Miscou lighthouse in New Brunswick (Canada) has become the latest victim of vandalism. Fortunately, it was only in the restrooms at the site and not the lighthouse proper. But that doesn’t matter. There should never be any destruction at historic properties. Ever. Miscou Lighthouse boasts the only Fresnel lens (Third Order) in an operating lighthouse in the province. And underwent a major renovation to make it a tourist attraction last year, including a major environmental cleanup at the site. A paved parking area large enough for tour buses, a deck around the lighthouse and washroom facilities and a large grassy area were completed this past summer.
By Sue Clark on Oct 20, 2009 in News | Comments Welcome Print This Post
Makah Nation To Take Possession of Buildings
Crews from Coast Guard District 13 are in the process of cleaning up the buildings and grounds on Tatoosh Island, near Neah Bay, Washington, in preparation for transferring the decommissioned lighthouse over to the Makah tribe, which already owns the island. Using helicopters to reach the remote island, they’ve removed an unneeded generator and fuel tank. The tribe, which considers the island culturally important, also says it has no current plans to change the island’s usage, which is as an archaeological research site by permit only
Western Michigan’s iconic lighthouse, Holland Harbor, also known familiarly as “Big Red,” was vandalized over October 7 and 8. Using a construction ladder to climb in and break out a window, the perpetrators discovered red and white paint and dumped it starting in the basement boiler room, tracking it up the stairs and splattering it everywhere, all the way to the lantern room.
