By Sue Clark on Jul 7, 2007 in News | Comments Off 
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Two very diverse groups, and not your usual non-profit preservation societies, have applied for ownership of the Conneaut Harbor West Breakwater Light, located at the entrance to Conneaut River in Ashtabula County, Ohio. Conneaut has been excessed by the Coast Guard, and the General Services Administration (GSA) has put it out for adoption. Conneaut is still an active aid to navigation, and easements to the beacon will be retained by the Coast Guard for maintaining the light.
By Sue Clark on Jul 6, 2007 in News, Restoration | 2 Comments Print This Post
The Detroit (Michigan) Free Press has a story today about efforts to restore Michigan’s oldest light, Fort Gratiot Light in Port Huron. Restoration costs are expected to be near $800,000 USD, and the group working to preserve it has in hand a $400,000 federal grant to start the restoration. The tower has holes in its sides where the bricks have popped out, and a ten foot crack on the north side that allows water to get in, freeze and thaw, causing more structural damage.
By Sue Clark on Jul 5, 2007 in Restoration | Comments Off Print This Post
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, the only lighthouse to appear on United States Money (the state quarter issued in 2003) is undergoing a $105,000 USD facelift this year. Thanks in part to a $50,000 grant from Lowes Charitable Educational Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, work has begun on stripping the layers of paint from the exterior and repointing the mortar. A $10,000 grant from the Maine Historic Commission awarded to ALF has also been earmarked in part for this project. The work is being done by J.B. Leslie Masonry Contractors of South Berwick, Maine, and is expected to take up to eight weeks for completion.
By Sue Clark on Jul 4, 2007 in Restoration | Comments Off Print This Post
The Manton Foundation has awarded a grant in the amount of $125,000 USD to Thacher Island Association for repairs to the South Tower of the Thacher Island Lights (Cape Ann Lightstation), in Rockport, Massachusetts. Renovations are expected to cost $250,000 USD. The North Tower was renovated last year by the International Chimney Corporation, best known for moving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina.
The original towers were built in 1771, but were replaced in 1861. The twin towers were the site of the first tests by Winslow Lewis’ modified Argand lamp in 1814. They were later adopted at all US lighthouses, until the far superior Fresnel lens replaced them in the 1850s.
By Sue Clark on Jul 3, 2007 in Other | 1 Comment Print This Post
I’m going through the list of saved items for this site, and thought today would be a good day to post these two unusual lighthouses. The first is a house built in the shape of a lighthouse in Jonestown, Texas, far away from the Gulf of Mexico. It is built on a lake, Lake Travis to be exact, but wasn’t built to save any mariners from disaster.
The house was built to honor owner Roger Storer’s late father, a veteran of the Roayal Navy. It stands 72 feet tall and has 58 windows. The Autin-American Statesman site has an audio slideshow showing off the interior and detailing the construction of the home.
By Sue Clark on Jul 2, 2007 in Lighthouse Keeper Jobs | 1 Comment Print This Post
Lighthouse Keeper Wanted: Not to tend the lights, but to keep the grounds mowed, the buildings maintained, and be an “ambassador” to the city of Racine, Wisconsin. Job perks include five acres with a beach, and a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. Competition for the job is expected to be stiff, as over 135 applications were received last time the job came open. It’s not all good, though, as the departing keepers state in this story in JS Online.
