Lighthouse Restoration Begins With Cypress Trees
By Sue Clark on Apr 28, 2008 in News 
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Tchefuncte River Lighthouse Work Begins
After delays caused by the two infamous 2005 hurricanes (Katrina and Rita), restoration work on the land at the Tchefuncte River Rear Range Lighthouse (Madisonville, Louisiana) is underway. Recent plantings of cypress trees by volunteers are the humble beginnings of a project that aims to reduce the erosion and make the light accessible again. The lighthouse has been subjected to erosion over the years, and all that remains of access is a privately owned marshland behind it.
Currently, the only access to the lighthouse is by boat. If the owners of the marshland behind it agree, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum may also build a boardwalk to the lighthouse, creating not only land access but an opportunity for visitors to learn about wetlands ecology.
The planting is a joint project of the town of Madisonville (owner of the lighthouse), the Museum and the Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond. The road leading to the mainland disappeared underwater in the 1950s or 1960s. As the lake encroached upon the promontory, theland on which the lighthouse stands threatened to become an island.
A line of rocks four or five feet into the lake marked what was the shoreline less than 20 years ago.
“We’d like to get the trees growing and then the area can get re-established. But it’s a long, drawn-out process,” said Michaelyn Lombard, an instructor in biological sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.
Lighthouse In Remarkably Good Shape
Although the entire restoration effort is expected to cost $10 million dollars, the lighthouse itself isn’t a major part of the amount. According to the museum, it’s in need of a paint job and some new mortar, but other than that, the tower is structurally sound. However, the story does mention that those people who arrive by boat can climb to the top, and unfortunately have carved their initials into the tower.
Further restoration plans include moving the keeper’s cottage back to the lighthouse location (it’s currently on the museum grounds) and building a replica of the bell tower. Half of the $50,000 in grants already received comes from a hurricane relief award given by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Southeastern Museum Conference. The other half is a matching grant from the Southeastern Louisiana University Development Foundation.
The museum and town hope that the lighthouse will be a tourism draw, and includes an educational program allowing children to stay overnight at the lighthouse.
Photo credit: Tchefuncte River Range Rear Light House by JimmyWayne22. Some rights reserved.
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