Current Lighthouse Bids: Old Orchard Shoals - $235,000 (closed); West Bank - $245,000; (closed); Borden Flats - $20,000; Sharp's Island - $5,000.

RSS FeedCurrent Article

Vandals Spraypaint Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

“I just bawled my eyes out” -Dot BlackOne would think that Maine is free from the tagging seen in urban areas. Not so for Rockland, apparently, a town of about 7,600 people on Penobscot Bay in Knox County, Maine, which also is home to the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Maine Lighthouse Museum. Dot Black, president of the Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, was awakened Tuesday (August 21, 2007) morning by a phone call informing her that somebody or somebodies had spray painted grafitti all over the lighthouse windows, brickwork and base of the lighthouse. “I just cried yesterday when the MV Island Transporter called me,” Black said Wednesday. “I just bawled my eyes out.”

While the damage may not be much monetarily, the work put in by the Friends to restore the lighthouse keeper’s home into a museum took several years and lots of blood, sweat and tears. The only side not covered was that facing Penobscot Bay. Four of the historically correct shutters (that cost $20,000USD) were painted. Lighthouse News is hoping that the miscreants that blasted the structure left enough clues via their initials to help police solve this crime.

And crime it is. This is on a par with destroying mailboxes. What’s the point? And especially to a building that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Where are the parents of these (possibly) juveniles? And if they’re (alleged) adults, what kind of upbringing did they have? This is not the “way life should be,” as Maine’s slogan goes. This kind of behavior isn’t justifiable by any means.

Bob Trapani, Jr., CEO of the ALF, observed the damage firsthand. “The vandalism is nonsensical but there isn’t much we can do when someone like this is intent on defacing a community treasure. If there was a silver lining in all this, it’s that there was no structural damage inflicted on the shutters, etc.” he stated.

Windows covered by grafitti at Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr. Used with permisssion.
Historically correct window shutters spray painted with gold paint.
Volunteers will be painting over them to cover the damage.

Bricks covered by spray paint at Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr. Used with permission.
Damaged bricks at the lighthouse.
The Friends are hoping it will only cost $500 to clean up.

Base of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse marred with paint. Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr. Used with permission.
The base of the lighthouse covered with grafitti.
Maybe the initials will help police catch the losers.

The Rockland Harbor Breakwater Lighthouse is an active aid to navigation, and was commissioned in 1927. The current building is a 25 foot tower sitting on top of a fog signal building (still operational). The light was automated in 1964, and the town of Rockland received the light under the Maine Lights Program in 1998. The Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse was formed in 1999 to care for this unique light, which is seven-eights (7/8) of a mile from land, yet still connected. Recently, the Friends have installed a webcam hosted at Village Soup.

More information on the lighthouse (and to donate to help repair the damage) can be found at www.rocklandlighthouse.com

Keep up with Lighthouse News. Get articles by Email or in a Reader.

Trackback URL

Comments are closed.

  • Lighthouse Gifts

    For the most gorgeous photos of lighthouses from Maine to Hawaii please visit The Lighthouse Guy.

    Purchase anything from prints to coffee mugs to mousepads with your favorite photo on it. And better yet, the prices are great. If you can't be there, this is the next best thing.

  • Updates and Corrections

    • Lighthouses Sell For Nearly Half Million - The bidding on the auctions for Old Orchard Shoals and West Bank Lighthouses has closed, with nearly a half million dollars going to the GSA. The winning bid on Old Orchard Shoal Lightstation was $235,000, submitted by the username asdfg. And West bank Lighthouse went for $245,000 to kswiss1. That's ... - Continued...#
    • Penfield Reef Decision - The National Park Service has awarded the Penfield Reef Lighthouse to Beacon Preservation, Inc., turning down the town of Fairfield's application. A letter from the National Park Service to Flatto said that after reviewing both applications, Beacon Preservation "represents a superior program for the preservation and public use of the ... - Continued...#
    • And We Have a Bid - At least, Old Orchard Shoal Lighthouse has one. A bidder nicknamed MWHLHA has opened the bidding with the minimum $10,000. Still no bids on West Bank Lighthouse, though. Update: West Bank Lighthouse also has a bid for 10,000 from kswiss1. Good luck to both parties. A viewing of both lighthouses is scheduled ... - Continued...#
  • Recommended Reading

  • Lighthouse News Store

  • Support Lighthouses

    Currency:

    Amount:

    Website(Optional):


    Powered By Lighthouse News
  • Affiliations

    BlogBurst.com

  • Copyright

    MyFreeCopyright.com Registered & Protected

Flickr Lighthouse Photos