Lighthouse Trivia

Since I missed posting for several weeks, I feel I owe everyone a few extra posts. Today, I will test your knowledge of lighthouses with a little trivia. Most lighthouse enthusiasts will find this quiz to be fairly easy, but let's give it a try. Answers follow at the end of this post, so don't peek.

1. Who personally selected the site for the lighthouse at Montauk Point on Long Island?
2. Which state has more lighthouses than any other in the United States?
3. What object served as the first fog signal installed on a United States lighthouse at Little Brewsters Island?
4. What was the first Pacific coast lighthouse in the United States?
5. What is the oldest active lighthouse in America?
6. What is the newest lighthouse in the United States?
7. In 1929, the lighthouse in Vermilion, Ohio was dismantled and unbeknownst to the town's residents, rebuilt where?
8. What was the name given to lighthouse keepers in the days before electricity?
9. Who created the Argand Lamp system, a predecessor to the Fresnel Lens?
10. What was the first U.S. Lighthouse to use electricity?


1. George Washington while he was serving as Commander of the Continental Army thought the location of Montauk Point would make a good site for a lighthouse. As President, he signed the legislation establishing the Montauk Point Lighthouse.
2. Michigan
3. A cannon was installed as a fog signal in 1719.
4. Alcatraz Light in 1854
5. Sandy Hook, NJ was lit for the first time in 1764.
6. Sullivan's Island Lighthouse in Charleston, SC was completed in 1962.
7. The entrance to the St. Lawrence River seaway in New York. The lighthouse is now known as the East Charity Shoals Light.
8. Wickies
9. Aime Argand, a Swiss physicist
10. The Statue of Liberty

New Jersey Light to Celebrate 150th year

Well, I have to apologize for not keeping up on this blog. With finals, graduation and the holidays, I just couldn't find the time to write about the current happenings with lighthouses. But all of that is behind me now, so I hope to rededicate myself to this blog once a week as promised in my welcome messsage.

I am happy to report that my blog has picked up its first follower - christyzee. Thank you Christy. I hope that you enjoy following this blog as much as I enjoy writing it.

For this week's story, I would like to highlight the upcoming 150th anniversary of the lighting of the Barnegat Lighthouse in New Jeresy. Barnegat was first lit on January 1, 1859. It was designed by Lt. George G. Meade (the same General George Meade of the Union Army won fought victoriously at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 during the Civil War) three years prior to its lighting. The sixteen story, 162 foot lighthouse has 217 steps and is commonly known to local residents as "Ol' Barney". 675,000 bricks were used in the construction of the lighthouse. Ol' Barney's light flashed once every 10 seconds.

In 1927, Barnegat was decommissioned as a lighthouse and the Barnegat Lightship installed to replace it. The lighthouse was turned over to the state and now resides in Barnegat Lighthouse State Park.

What will make the 150th anniversary of the Barnegat Lighthouse's inaugural lighting is that local residents have recently completed the installation of a new light and new windows. On January 1, 2009, Ol' Barney will be relit. Refurbishing the lighthouse with new windows and a new light came at a cost of more than $35,000. Money for the project has been raised by local non-profit organizations.

More information on the community's resotration efforts can be found in the December 19, 2008 edition of the New York Times. The story, Refurbished Barnegat Lighthouse to Shine Out Once Again was written by Coleen Dee Berry.

Vandalism Claims Keeper's House

Sambro Island Lighthouse is North America's oldest operating lighthouse located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. In September, vandals set fire to the primary keeper's residence of the Sambro Island Lighthouse, resulting in a total loss of the structure. Although this lighthouse is still in operation, the incident illustrates how quickly history can be lost, especially at lighthouses that have been abandoned or are only periodically checked by the organization charged with maintaining them.

Losing a house is devasting, but it can be replaced, unlike losing a piece of history, which is irreplacable. The Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society may decide to rebuild the primary keeper's residence with a replica, but it can not replace the valuable stories and artifacts that were tied to the original structure.

The full story by Chris Mills, with pictures of the arson, can be read at Lighthouse Digest October 2008 Archive.

Lighthouse GPS File

I must say that I have always had a knack for directions, so why I decided I needed a GPS system is beyond me. I am not sure where my general knack for directions come from - hereditary (my father is generally good with directions as well) or from my past experience as a delivery driver (some things about driving directions are universal no matter where you find yourself). Regardless, I purchased a Garmin nuvi 205w GPS and I must say I have not been entirely thrilled. Maybe the hype over the GPS systems led me to expect more than what is realistic.

As many of you know, I love visitng lighthouses, so to add all of the lighthouses in the United States to the GPS's Point of Interest (POI) database would be wonderful. With that in mind, I found a lighthouse POI listing (free) at Travel by GPS and downloaded it to my new Garmin. Needless to say, the file is not worth the time downloading.

First, many of the so-called lighthouses in the POI file are automated navigational lights at the end of piers and not actual lighthouses. One of the lighthouses listed was a Christian ministry. I have nothing against Christian ministries, but that was not exactly what I was looking for in this POI file.

Secondly, the directions in the POI file do not actually take you to the lighthouse it is suppose to. Take for instance the two lighthouses I tried to visit in Virginia using the POI file on the GPS. The first one I went to see was the Ferry Point Wharf Light (as it turns out, one of those automated pier lights) outside of Portsmouth, VA. The Garmin's directions were impeccable. They took me right to within 1000 feet of the lighthouse. The problem was I was on a gravel road in the middle of a cotton field and to get to the lighthouse I would have had to drive through the cotton field and trees that stood between the river bank and where I was located. I did not get to see the lighthouse and my trip cost about 2 hours worth of time. The next day, I attempted to visit the Tue Marshes Lighthouse outside of Gloucester, VA. After 6. some odd miles turned into 24, I found myself at the end of someone's personal property with several NO TRESPASSING! signs posted. The lighthouse was again, just beyond my view. Disgusted and disappointed, I headed home. On the way, I decided that I could build a more accurate lighthouse POI file with detailed notes. I would leave off all the lighthouses that can not be accessed by car, or make a notation that the lighthouse is only visable by boat. So I have set about this project and hope to have it complete by the end of winter. I will keep you posted on when it is complete.

Angel's Gate Restoration & Preservation

Angel's Gate Lighthouse sits along a 40 foot breakwater in Los Angeles Harbor. Like many of the structures in California, the lighthouse is subjected to the forces of nature - namely earthquakes. When the structure was built in 1879, earthquake building codes did not exist. The lighthouse has sustained damage over the years from southern California's multiple earthquakes and severe storms.

Like many other lighthouses, once automated, maintenance becomes an afterthought. Restoration and preservation efforts are usually undertaken by private not-for-profit organizations. The Boater's Yacht Club has proposed doing just that, using a fund specially created to reduce boater hardships due to the commerical success of the port.

I think this is a great idea and hope that it comes to fruition, but if it doesn't, all is not lost. If the yacht club is serious about its restoration and preservation, it can petition the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Trust earmarks funds for project just such as this. They also have the expertise when it comes to historic preservation.

This project will have to be conducted in two phases - restoration and preservation. Although many people use the two terms interchangably, they are have very different meaning. Restoration refers to returning the structure to its original state, as much as possible. Preservation means to conduct routine maintenance on the structure to prevent it from falling into disrepair again.

It will be almost impossible for the restoration of this lighthouse to be completely historic. For one, the lighthouse will have to meet the earthquake building codes that have been put in place since it was originally built. This alone will prevent the restorers from restoring the lighthouse to it's original form. Estimates for the restoration appear to be between $1.5 and $2 million dollars. The preservation is a different story. Preservation costs will be much higher, because preservation does not cease. It is an ongoing affair that carries the project indefinitely into the future. A prime example of this is the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina. The Outer Banks Conservationists spent 20 years restoring the lighthouse and are now entering the preservation phase of their project.

To read Sue Clark's article on the Angel's Gate Lighthouse in the Lighthouse News, please follow the link below.

Earthquakes and Storms Damage Lighthouse

Welcome Message

Welcome to the Lights Along the Coast blog.

I created this blog to share my love of lighthouses with the world. It is my hope to spread my ethusiasm for lighthouses and the maritime culture to others through the posting of interesting topics and discussions.

The focus of this blog will be the many lighthouses of the United States, both standing and lost, with occasional discussions of lighthouses in other parts of the world. Posts will include news, lighthouse history, facts and trivia, and other related items.

I hope that you will find this blog interesting, informative and engaging. Please do not hesitat to add your comments to the discussion.

Please be sure to add your profile to the followers of this blog.