Lighthouse News

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.

News Release

BLMA Completes Major Restoration

The Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Association (BLMA) has announced the first major restoration in over 150 years has been completed at the historic Beavertail Light Station in Rhode Island. While the history of the light goes back to 1749, 27 years before the Revolutionary War, it was in 1856 that the present granite light tower and its joining Keeper’s quarters were built. In 1896, 40 years later the second house for the Assistant Keeper was constructed. This structure houses the BLMA museum.

Press Release

America’s largest lighthouse museum, The Maine Lighthouse Museum, in Rockland, Maine, is in financial trouble and may have to close its doors unless immediate financial help is received. Dot Black, a Board member of the Maine Lighthouse Museum and the widow of the museum’s founder, Ken Black, reported that “unless more financial help is forthcoming soon, the lights may go out in the largest and most important lighthouse museum in the nation.”

Press Release

Tim Harrison, editor and publisher of the Maine based Lighthouse Digest magazine says it’s time to make August 7th as our nation’s official National Lighthouse Day. In doing so, he has asked for help from Maine’s Senator Olympia Snowe. Harrison said that ever since the 200th Anniversary, on August 7, 1989, of the federalization of our nation’s lighthouses, lighthouse groups have unofficially celebrated that date.

Collectors Group Seeks Help in Lighthouse Preservation Fund Raiser

Harbour Lights retailers and collectors have teamed up in an effort to raise funds for U. S. lighthouse preservation. Collector Forums, a meeting place for Harbour Lights collectors and lighthouse enthusiasts, along with The Cape Cod Store.com and Bronze Lady of Orlando, Florida kicked off the fund raiser on April 21st.

“Each year, the Collector Forums runs a fund raiser of some sort among its members to raise funds for a lighthouse preservation group in the U.S.,” says Roland Babineau, owner of The Cape Cod Store.com and Collector Forums member. “This year, we are taking our fund raising effort one step farther and bringing it to the general public.

Minister Jim Prentice Appoints Advisory Committee for Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act

OTTAWA, ONTARIO - (Marketwire - April 22, 2009) - The Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced that the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada will act as his Advisory Committee for implementing the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act. “Canadian communities feel strongly attached to the lighthouses which have played such an important role in the social and economic development of Canada,” said Minister Prentice. “The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, with its expertise in Canadian history and heritage buildings, and with representatives from all provinces and territories, will be able to advise me well on the implementation of this Act.”

Press Release

Levin, Stabenow Introduce Legislation to Help Preserve Michigan Lighthouses

WASHINGTON – Senators Carl Levin (D-MI) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today introduced the National Lighthouse Stewardship Act to create a three year competitive grant program that would help fund the preservation and rehabilitation of historic lighthouses in Michigan and across the country. The grants will help nonprofit organizations, which serve as caretakers for the historic landmarks, to maintain the beauty of the lighthouses and keep them accessible to the public. Michigan has the most lighthouses of any state in the country.

The New Zealand Post announced its 2009 lighthouse commemorative stamps, with a special feature to them - the beams from the lighthouse actually glow in the dark. Using a special glue, the glow in the dark feature is activated by sunlight or holding the stamp under a light for a short time. This is the first time such technology has been used, and what fitting way than to honor the country’s lighthouses. The stamps are being issued to celebrate the 150th anniversary of New Zealand’s lighthouses. The five stamps are in different denominations, ranging from fifty cents to $2.50 (NZ).

Press Release from American Lighthouse Foundation

The nonprofit American Lighthouse Foundation is the proud, new “keeper” of Maine’s Whaleback Lighthouse, which stands sentinel on a wave-swept ledge at the entrance to the Piscataqua River, marking the approach to Portsmouth Harbor.

The U.S. Secretary of the Interior accepted the National Park Service’s recommendation that the American Lighthouse Foundation (ALF) be awarded ownership of Whaleback Lighthouse through the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act in November 2008.

In a letter to ALF, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne noted, “I applaud the commitment of the American Lighthouse Foundation to the preservation of our nation’s maritime heritage in accepting ownership of Whaleback Ledge Light.”

News Release From Hong Kong Government
The Green Island lighthouse compound has been declared a monument under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance, a spokesman for the Development Bureau says. A notice on the declaration was released November 7, 2008.

The Green Island lighthouse compound comprises an old lighthouse built in 1875, a new lighthouse built in 1905, a former European quarters and a former keeper’s house. Both the old and new Green Island lighthouses have served thousands of vessels from the western approach to Hong Kong for many decades and have played an important role in Hong Kong’s maritime history.