Detroit River Lights

Well, it has been awhile since I have had the opportunity to post on this blog. I apologize. With our pending move later this summer, things have gotten a little behind. Unfortunately until we move, I don't see much improvement. I apologize and I will do my best to post as I can.

Recently, Lori and I had the opoortunity to travel to Detroit, Michigan for a friend's wedding. While there, we decided to visit some local lighthouses along the Detroit River. With varying degrees of success, we managed to see two lighthouses and a replica of a third.

The first lighthouse we attempted to see was the Grosse Ile Lighthouse. We drove down to the Detroit River after the wedding reception in hopes of getting some night photographs with the lighthouse lit up. It would be a very romantic end to what had been a very lovely evening and we don't have too many nightime photos. Fenwick Island on the Delaware - Maryland border is the only one I can remember taking a picture of at nighttime. Unfortunately, the Grosse Ile Lighthouse sits on private land and is only open one day a year, the Saturday after Labor Day. I actually knew this, but had forgotten about it until after we returned to the hotel. We attempted to see the lighthouse from the street, but it was not possible. A residential area blocks the view and because it was getting dark, we didn't want to ask permission to see the lighthouse, lest the homeowners think we were some sort of burglars. We left disappointed.

On Sunday, on the way home, we drove along the Detroit River and visited two lighthouses and a third that turned out to be a replica of the Tawas Point Lighthouse. The replica does not appear to be an actual working lighthouse. Below are pictures of the three lighthouses.

Windmill Point located between Windmill Point Park and Riverfront Lakewood Park

William Livingstone Memorial Lighthouse on Belle Isle where the Detroit River meets Lake St. Clair.

Replica of Tawas Point Lighthouse located at the Tri-Centennial State Park Harbor

Cleveland East Breakwater Light

On Sunday, Lori and I drove to the Cleveland area for a work related conference. We decided while we were in the area, we should check out some of the Cleveland Lighthouses. We had seen the Cleveland Lighthouses about 9 years ago on a trip back from Chicago to Morgantown, but it was pretty hazy on that particular day and we did not get a good view of the lighthouses.

Our trip got a little interesting when we pulled out the Garmin GPS. We had yet another experience with the GPS that was not exactly to our liking. See our Garmin post. We had driven to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and then used the custom point of interest (POI) file I had originally downloaded whe I bought the Garmin. The Garmin got extremely confused with all of the roads near the Cleveland waterfront and on several occasions put us on the wrong street. It also kept telling us to make turns where there were no roads - only concrete barriers. We finally put the Garmin away and went back to the Cleveland Browns Stadium, next to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The view was much better this time around as we had a bright sunny day with clear skies and temperatures in the mid 80s. But we were disappointed that we could not get any closer than we did because of the fences surrounding the docks. We had forgotten our regular camera, and had to use the cameras on our cell phones, which didn't work out very well. Those cameras don't have a strong enough zoom to get a really good picture. Also because of the fences, we were fighting to get a picture that didn't have the fence covering up the lighthouse. On top of that, the sun was hitting the water just right to put a glare on the lighthouse. Needless to say, we saw the lighthouse, but did not succeed in getting any great pictures. Maybe next time we will rent a boat and go out to the lighthouse to get pictures.

After the disappointing results at the West Breakwater Light, we decided not to go see the East Pierhead Light.

We have a trip scheduled in June to attend a wedding in Detroit. We are hoping to see the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse and the Port Huron Lighthouse, two new lighthouses for us. Hopefully, we will have better luck (and remember our camera) on that trip. Until then.....

New Lighthouse Blog

Today I came across a new lighthouse blog that I wanted to share with my readers. Yes, I know that by sharing this, I risk losing followers. The competition for readership is fierce. Just ask Ashton Kutcher. I especially run the risk of losing followers because of who writes this new blog - Jeremy D' Entremont. For lighthouse enthusiasts, you will probably recognize the name. Jeremy is, in my opinion, the premier lighthouse historian and photographer. He launched his new blog on April 1, 2009.

In addition to his duties as a lighthouse photographer and historian, Jeremy is the 1st VP of the American Lighthouse Foundation and the operations manager for the Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. His long list of titles inlcude author and lighthouse preservationist. Truly an American gem when it comes to lighthouses.

Jeremy's blog, New England Lighthouses, will provide history, news and commentary on the lighthouses of New England. Please add Jeremy's blog to your follower list. I know I will.

Spotlight On: Cape Charles

This past week, I had the opportunity to travel from Norfolk, VA across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to the Delmarva Peninsula. When crossing the Bay Bridge Tunnel, one can view the Cape Charles Lighthouse from the highway on a clear day and thus, the inspiration behind this week's post.

The Cape Charles Lighthouse is not accesible by land. It sits on Smith Island on the north edge of the mouth of the Chesapeake. It is the third such lighthouse to sit on the site and is intended to compliment the Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia Beach, VA on the south side of the Chesapeake's mouth.

Cape Charles is a skeleton tower light, which allows it to withstand the hurricanes force winds and waves. The original tower was a rubble stone tower that stood a mere 55 feet tall. It was commissioned in 1826 but was grossly inadequate for the job. In 1860 the second tower was commissioned. The second tower was a brick conical tower of 150 feet. However, the Confederate Army prevented the lighthouse from being completed until 1864.

Less than 20 years later, the Lighthouse Board was forced to replace the lighthouse a second time due to beach erosion. In the 20 years since the second tower had been built, the forces of nature eroded away and average of 30 FEET of beach PER YEAR! It would take another twelve years before the new lighthouse was completed and activated. At the time of its activation, the Lighthouse Board had implemented a numerical flash pattern. Cape Charles would have a 4-5 flash pattern. Numerical flash patterns proved two expensive to implement across all of the nation's lighthouses. Cape Charles was the second and last lighthouse to be given a numerical flash pattern. The other is Minot's Ledge which has a 1-4-3 flash pattern. When Cape Charles was completed, it became the second tallest lighthouse in the United States behind Cape Hatteras. It stands 191 feet tall.

My apologies

My apologies to the followers of this blog. We have been without phone and internet service for over a week due to an issue with Verizon. Unfortunately, I was unable to post during my lunch hour at work. I will try to catch up this weekend, but in the mean time, please accept my apologies.

On the Move

This summer will mark the tenth anniversary of the historic relocation of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. On June 17, 1999, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse began the long 2,900 foot journey to its new home. Three weeks later on July 9, the lighthouse came to its final resting place. What was remarkable about this feat was that Cape Hatteras weighed 4,800 TONS and stood 208 feet tall.

While many people will undoubtedly remember Cape Hatteras moving 1/2 mile along the coast of the Outer Banks, few realize that Cape Hatteras was not the first lighthouse to be moved, nor will it be the last. Like Cape Hatteras, many lighthouses have been threatened by erosion. In places like Montauk Point, building a rock wall has saved the lighthouse, but in other places like Cape Hatteras, moving the lighthouse is the only option.

Other lighthouses that have been moved:

1993 - Block Island Southeast Light, Rhode Island - 245 feet
1996 - Cape Cod Lighthouse, Massachusetts - 420 feet
1996 - Nauset Light, Massachusetts - 336 feet
2007 - Sankaty Lighthouse, Massachusetts - 405 feet

While it would seem that Cape Hatteras would be the most difficult to move because of its height, weight, and the distance moved, ironically it was the move at Block Island of a mere 245 feet that was the most difficult.This is because the move included two turns, whereas all of the other moves were in a generally straight line. The Block Island Lighhtouse weighed in at 2,000 tons.

The International Chimney Company of Buffalo, NY and Expert House Movers were responsible for moving each of these lighthouses.

Lighthouse Trivia III

Well, they keep getting harder, but if you follow this blog regularly, you should know some of the answers. Study up.

1. Which lighthouse can be seen in the 2007 movie Dan in Real Life starring Steve Carroll?

2. Which U.S. lighthouse was the first to be built of iron?

3. Which lighthouse originally sat on a shoal at the mouth of the Patapsco River? (Hint: Answer is in a February posting on this blog.)

4. What was the original name of the Ida Lewis Light?

5. Who was the first female lighthouse keeper in the United States? (Hint: Answer is in a February posting on this blog.)

6. What is the reason behind the design and construction of a skeleton tower lighthouse?

7. Which lightship was the largest lightship ever to be built in the United States? (Hint: Answer is in a March posting on this blog.)

8. Which U.S. Lighthouse is the only one to sit in the middle of a four lane highway?

9. Which lighthouse is used as Castle Rock Entertainment's trademark?

10. What is the namesake of the Wolf Trap Lighthouse in Virginia?



Answers
1. Point Judith Light, Rhode Island
2. Minot's Ledge, Massachusetts
3. Seven Foot Knoll, Maryland
4. Lime Rock Light,
5. Hannah Thomas served as the first female lighthouse keeper from 1776 to 1786 replacing her husband who was away serving in the Revolutionary War. Hannah kept the light at Gurnet Point, Massachusetts.
6. The skeleton tower was designed to withstand severe hurricanes by providing the least amount of obstruction and resistence to the hurricane force winds and rains.
7. The Nantucket. It weighed 1,50 tons and had a length of almost 150 ft.
8. Biloxi Lighthouse, Mississippi
9. Point Arena Light, California
10. Wolf Trap Shoals took their name from the the wreck of the Wolfe a 350-ton British Royal Navy ship that patroled the Chesapeake for pirates and smugglers. The ship ran aground on the shoals in 1691. A lighthouse was built in 1819 to mark the shoals and subsequently took its name from them.

Spotlight on: Lightships

Far out into the deep blue sea, there once sat floating beacons guiding ships and ocean vessels safely to their destinations. These beacons were quite unlike their land-based brothers and sisters, yet they provided the same safety and guidance required to survive the hidden dangers of the sea. But like their land-based counterparts, they became obselete. I am of course talking about the historic lightships that lined America's coastal waters where no lighthouse could be built.

Lightships were very different from land-based lighthouses. First, they did not have a single keeper, but rather an entire crew. This crew was responsible for not only keeping the lightship lit and sounding the fog horn, but also for the daily routines of keeping the ship afloat. Whereas lighthouse keepers faced danger only in lifesaving rescue missions, crews of the historic lightships faced the daily dangers of the sea. A violent storm could toss the fragile lightship about, challenging the skills and taking the lives of many experienced sailors. Seasickness was common even among those who knew how "ride the waves". Lighthouses had the coast to protect them from passing ships, but lightships were left unportected, susceptable to ramming by oceanliners traveling the busiest and most treacherous shipping lanes. In 1936, fog prevent the lightship Nantucket from being seen and the RMS Olympic (sister ship to the RMS Titanic) rammed her, sinking the ship immediately with a total loss of the lightship's crew.

In addition to the dangers of lightship service, crews had to endure conditions unheard of in the lighthouse service. Many lighthouse keepers lived a solitary life, but they still had interaction with the local community. Even when the lighthouse was located offshore, keepers were able to go into town for supplies. On a ligthship, the only interaction was among the crew itself. Much like navy tours of duty, crews were stationed on the lightships for months at a time with no means for going ashore. Additionally, the lightship's fog horns were so loud and constant that the crew had to wear ear protection or run the risk of going deaf.

Throughout the history of the United States Lighthouse Service and United States Coast Guard, more than 175 lightships were built. At any one time, 56 were stationed along the coasts and in the busiest shipping lanes where it was too deep or too dangerous to build a lighthouse. The Nantucket was the largest of these lightships at 1,050 tons almost 150 feet in length. During World War II, the Nantucket was removed from service as a lightship and pressed into military service as an examination vessel with a single three inch gun. Today, the Nantucket sits in Oyster Bay, New York, but it has been given an eviction notice from the city and faces the real possibility of being scrapped. Most lightships were scrapped when they were decommissioned. In the 1970s, lightships became obselete with the invention of the Texas Tower lighthouse station. Only a handful of lightships survive today, which serve a museums. The surviving lightships include:

• Ambrose - New York, New York


• Chesapeake - Baltimore, Maryland


• Columbia - Astoria, Oregon


• Huron - Port Huron, Michigan


• Nantucket - Osyter Bay, New York


• Overfalls - Lewes, Delaware


• Portsmouth - Portsmouth, Virginia


• Relief - Oakland, California


• Swiftsure - Seattle, Washington

Information for this article was taken from Mannino, Robert Jr. and Donald Whitehead. "S.O.S. for the Nantucket Lightship", Sea History no. 126, Spring 2009 ppg 12-15.

Duties of a Lighthouse Keeper

When one speaks of the duties of "keeping" a lighthhouse, what exactly might they be talking about? For most of us, we know that "keeping" a light meant turning on the light every night at dusk and turning it off every morning after sunrise, but what exactly did that entail.

In the early days of lighthouses, wicked candles were the source of light. Maintaining these candles was no easy task. Lighthouse keepers couldn't just light the candle and forget about it. As candles burn down, they become dimmer and therefore harder for the mariners to see. To keep the candles burning brightly, keepers had to trim the candle wicks every few hours throughout the night.

These same candles also produced smoke that would cover the lighthouse lens with soot and carbon. The build up of carbon would also diminish the effectiveness of the light. In addition to trimming the wicks every few hours, keepers also had to polish the lighthouse lens regularly. Often these duties were completed while braving the elements of nature - wind, rain, and snow.

As technologies improved, oil became the chief source of lighting the coasts. Oil would often be stored in buildings near the lighthouse, but would have to be hauled up to the top of the lighthouse before the light could be lit. Few, if any, lighthouses were equipped with a pulley system, meaning that the keeper's only option was to climb the many steps leading to the top. Even at a small lighthouse like Gurnet Point in Massachusetts, this could be a difficult task.

Keepers were responsible for all supplies required by the lighthouse. During the day, keepers performed maintenance on the structures, stocked supplies and maintained the small boat used for rescues or going ashore if the lighthouse was stationed in the middle of the water. In addition to the duties required of keeping the light, many keepers alos had to tend to family farms and take care of livestock in order to supply the food used at the lighthouse. For women keepers, caring for family was also a necessity.

As if these duties weren't enough, one of the most difficult tasks of a lighthouse keeper was saving lives. Livesaving missions were almost always conducted in the worst conditions, usually storms in the dark of night. Keepers used small rowboats, and later motorized boats, to help rescue shipwrecked mariners. Ida Lewis, the most famous female lighthouse keeper, is known to have saved at least 18 lives during her tenure at the Lime Rock Lighthouse in Rhode Island.

For their trouble, lighthouse keepers received a small salary. Hannah Thomas, the first female lighthouse keeper, earned £80 per year from the state of Masschusetts for keeping the Gurnet Point Light from 1786 to 1789. By comparison, a minister in Canton, Massachusetts was paid £190 in 1786. From this salary, keepers were expected to purchase all the supplies for the lighthouse. They were not reimbursed for their expenses in maintaining the light.

Spotlight on: Seven Foot Knoll

Sorry, I am a couple of days late with this post. I do plan on making posts similar to this one a more frequent feature of this blog. Picture coming soon.

Close your eyes and imagine a time when ships were still made of wood and sailed by the ocean winds. Imagine a time when the Chesapeake Bay was clear as a crystal and the blue crab roamed free. Imagine a time when before America turned upon itself in war and find yourself in the year of 1855 in the bustling city of Baltimore, Maryland.

Baltimore had long been a major seaport, but in 1855 (1856 by some accounts), it was determined that the approach to Baltimore's outer harbor was dangerous. A shoal, known as Seven Foot Knoll, located at the mouth of the Patapsco River was the the source of danger for ships sailing into the harbor. Because of this danger, a lighthouse was built to mark the shoal and warn passing ships. The lighthouse became known as Seven Foot Knoll after the shoal upon which it was situated.

The Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse was constructed from iron forged at a local Baltimore foundry, Murray and Hazelhurst. It consisted of cast iron pilings and a corkscrew base which was "screwed" into the soft mud of the bay floor, thus becoming known as a screwpile style lighthouse. Seven Foot Knoll was the second screwpile lighthouse built in the United States and currently the oldest one remaining. The cast iron pilings and corkscrew base raised the lighthouse about nine feet above the high water mark. Because of the Chesapeake's winter ice flows, Seven Foot Knoll employs caisson construction, the only screwpile style lighthouse to use this construction method. Seven Foot Knoll was built with a 4th order Fresnel lens that could project for more than 12 miles into the bay. Total cost of the construction - $43,000.00.

Because the lighthouse sat off shore in the middle of the Bay, lighthouse keepers kept a dory was kept at the lighthouse for the keeper and his family to make trips ashore. In the summer, livestock was kept below the lighthouse and in the winter, the cast iron pilings were enclosed. Three keepers are said to have manned the lighthouse for most of its history. Each keeper earned a week's shore leave per month leaving the other two keepers to work in pairs. In 1875, lighthouse keeper James Bowling and his wife (the assistant keeper) gave birth to a daughter at the lighthouse. The couple named their daughter "Knolie".

In 1948, Seven Foot Knoll was automated by the United States Coast Guard. In 1988, the lighthouse was decommissioned and replaced by a new navigation marker. The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently donated Seven Foot Knoll to the city of Baltimore for historic preservation. The lighthouse was moved by barge some fifteen miles from its original location to Baltimore's inner harbor where it currently resides on Pier 5.

Throughout its history, Seven Foot Knoll faithfully served the city of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay. It will likely be best remembered for the lifesaving efforts of its keeper, William (some sources say Thomas) J. Steinheise on Aug 21, 1933. On that day, the Chesapeake Bay was battered by a hurricane that caused the tugboat Point Breeze to capsize. Steinheise left the lighthouse in a small motorized skiff and battled 90 mile an hour plus winds and fifteen foot waves to rescue 5 members of the tugboat's crew. Unable to see through the storm, Steinheise followed the sound of the tugboat's distress whistle. Steinheise was later awarded a Congressional medal for his efforts. This same storm separated the New Point Comfort Lighthouse (Virginia) from the mainland.

Facts
Year Built: 1855/56
Location: Entrance of the Patapsco River, Chesapeake Bay
Height: 40 foot above mean water level
Lens: 4th Order Fresnel
Type: Screwpile
Status: Inactive
Public Access: Grounds/Dwelling

Driving Directions
I-95 to I-395 N (exit 53 Downtown Baltimore). Take the left split towards downtown and stay in the center lane, which will become Howard Street. Continue straight pass the baseball and football stadiums on your left. Turn right at the third stop light. This will be Pratt Street. The lighthouse will be on your right approximately nine blocks ahead.

New Lighthouse Postage Stamps

UPDAATE: The United States Post Office just announced that the price of stamps will be increasing by two cents on May 11, 2009. This means that if the lighthouses stamps comeout in June based on past issuances, the lighthouse stamps will cost 44 cents each instead of the current rate of 42 cents.

Later this summer, the United States Post Office will issue a fifth series of lighthouse stamps. This fifth series will feature five lighthouses from the Gulf Coast. Included in this series are Matagorda Island Lighthouse (Texas), Sabine Pass Lighthouse (Louisiana), Biloxi Lighthouse (Mississippi), Sand Island Lighthouse (Alabama) and the Fort Jefferson Lighthouse, aka Garden Key Lighthouse (Florida). The stamps will sell for the current rate of 42 cents each. Based on past issuances, look for these stamps to come out in June of this year.

The last series of lighthouse stamps was issued on June 21, 2007 and featured five lighthouses of the Pacific Coast. Those stamps sold for 41 cents each and included the following lighhouses: Diamond Head Lighthouse (Hawaii), St. George Reef Lighthouse (California), Umpqua River Lighthouse (Oregon), Gray's Habror Lighthouse (Washington), and the Five Finger Lighthouse (Alaska).

Series three of the United States Lighthouse stamps were issued in 2003 and sold for 37 cents each. Series three honored the Southeastern Atlantic Lighthouses of Old Cape Henry (Virginia), Cape Lookout (North Carolina), Morris Island (South Carolina), Tybee Island (Georgia) and Hillsboro Inlet (Florida).

Series two was issued in 1995 and featured one lighthouse on each of the five Great Lakes. Those stamps sold for 32 cents each. The Great Lakes lighthouses included St. Joseph harbor Lighthouse (Michigan), Marblehead Lighthouse (Ohio), Split Rock Lighthouse (Minnesota), Spectacle Reef Lighthouse (Michigan), and Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse (New York).

The United States Post Office's first series of lighthouse stamps was issued in 1990 and sold for 25 cents each. This series honored the great American lighthouses of Admiralty Head Lighthouse (Washington), American Shoals Lighthouse (Florida), Sandy Hook Lighthouse (New Jersey), Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (North Carolina), and West Quoddy Lighthouse (Maine).

In addition to these series, the Hawai'i Post has issued three series of lighthouse stamps honoring Hawai'ian Lighthouses. The first series issued in 2001 depicted the Aloha Tower on a $2, $5, and $8 stamp. The second series featured Laysan Island Lighthouse ($2)Makapu'u Lighthouse ($5) and the Diamond Head Lighthouse ($8). The second series was issued in 2002. The third series issued in 2004 shows Kilauea Point Lighthouse ($2), Nawiliwili Lighthouse ($5), and Barber's Point Lighthouse ($8). The $2 stamps are used to prepay for charges such as extra weight. The $5 stamps prepay for Overnight Charges and the $8 stamps prepay for Same Day delviery service.

At the American Philatelic Stamp Show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the United States Postal Service will unveil a stamp honoring Edward Hopper, a famous American artist. This stamp will feature Hopper's 1930 painting The Long Leg which shows a boat fighting the wind near a lighthouse at Provincetown, Massachusetts. This stamp will be unveiled on August 6th, one day before National Lighthouse Day.

Lighthouse Trivia II

Well, I think it's time for a little more lighthouse trivia. These questions will be a little harder than the first, but I think lighthouse enthusiasts will still get 7 or 8 of them correct.


Questions
1. Which American city claims more lighthouses than any other?
2. In which act of Congress did the United States establish the funding for constructing lighthouses?
3. The Caisson style lighthouse was developed for what reason?
4. Which lighthouse witnessed the first overt act by the colonists of the American Revolution?
5. Which lighthouse was the first lighthouse built by the United States Government?
6. Which lighthouse remains as the only actively manned lighthouse in the United States?
7. How many lighthouses stood on America's coasts when the United States declared its independence in 1776?
8. Which lighthouse was the site of the first Fresnel lens in America?
9. Which lighthouse was the first to use natural gas as its source of light (hint: a picture of this NY lighthouse was posted in this blog on 1-8-09)?
10. Which U.S. Lighthouse was the most expensive to build?

Answers
1. Portland, Maine - 6
2. The 2nd act of Congress under the new Constitution of the United States
3. To protect the lighthouse from damaging ice flows.
4. On the 18th of April in 1775, the Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse in New Castle, NH witnessed the midnight ride of Paul Revere. The lighthouse, which no longer stands (it has been replaced another lighthouse), was located at Fort William and Mary. The Fort has been renamed Fort Constitution. Paul Revere was riding to warn citizens that the British were coming to reinforce the fort.
5. (Old) Cape Henry Light, Virginia (1792)
6. Boston Light by order of the United States Congress. Other lighthouses may have caretakers who are referred to as keepers, but these lights are automated. The Boston Light is still manually turned on and off by the lighthouse keeper.
7. 12
8. Navesink, New Jersey
9. Barcelona, New York
10. St. George's Reef, California at a cost of $715,000.00.

Lighthouse Lost

For over 100 years, the Isle of Man (located between England and Ireland) was guarded and protected by the Alfred Pier Light in the Port of Saint Mary, but earlier this month, the lighthouse succumbed to the elements of nature. The pepper pot style lighthouse appears to have been washed off in a violent storm that battered the pier with a number of high waves. All that remains of the Alfred Pier Light is the twisted rubble of what was once the lantern room.

The Alfred Pier Light was built between 1884 by the Duke of Edinburgh. It served the pier in the Port of Saint Mary faithfully until the night of January 11/12 2008.

Lighthouse Collectibles

One of my favorite things about visiting lighthouses is stopping by the gift shop and buying a few lighthouse collectibles. Our favorites are the "Little Lights of Mine" by Harbor Lights because they take up such a small amount of room. I can put about 20 Little Lights on a single shelf of our bookshelf. We have a single regular size Harbor Lights of the Presque Isle Lighthouse in Erie, PA for obvious reasons. We also collect some Lefton and Scaasis. We have two main criteria for the lighthouses we collect. First is realism and quality (okay, so maybe that's two). This is why we stick to the Harbor Lights, Lefton and Scaasis. Other knockoffs just down look as real and often have been poorly painted. The second is that we have to have visited the lighthouse. Occasionally we will receive a lighthouse collectible as a gift that we have not visited. It then becomes our priority to visit that particular lighthouse.

Here is a list of our favorite lighthouse collectible shops.

1. The Lighthouse Depot - The world's largest lighthouse collectible store located in Wells, Maine. Although you can order through their catalog or online, you haven't seen a lighthouse collectible store until you have actually visited their physical location.

2. Lighthouse Gallery and Gifts - Located in Gallery Row between the main highway and the beach road of Nags Head, North Carolina, this collectible shop packs a lot of punch in its small space. The building looks like a Great Lakes or River Lighthouse, but without the light. The store occupies the first floor, while the owners live upstairs. Although it is small, you can find almost anything you could want in this neat little hideaway.

3. Top of the Lighthouse Shop - The shop is very small and very cramped because as the name implies, it is at the top of a lighthouse. The Top of the Lighthouse Shop is in the Harbour Town /Sea Pines Lighthouse on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Like the previous shop, this store packs a lot of merchandise in a very tiny space. You may decide not to buy anything here, but at least you can say you have climbed to the top of a lighthouse.

4. Bodie Island Lighthouse Gift Shop - Another Outer Banks favorite. This shop is located in the old Lighouse keeper's quarters and is more inline with the National Park gift shops than lighthouse collectible stores. The gift shop does include a small museum type exhibit on one half allowing visitors a self-guided learning experience.

5. Portland Head Lighthouse Gift Shop - Located in Cape Elizabeth (Portland), Maine this gift shop was rather small considering how famous the Portland Head Lighthouse is. The shop is located to the left of the lighthouse and may be housed in an old supply building where wicks and oil were stored.

If you have a favorite Lighthouse gift and collectible shop, please let us know. We'll be sure to check it out when we are in the area.

Where it all started

Well, I have to apologize for missing this post on Tuesday. It seems while we were out of town this past weekend (sorry, no lighthouses viewed), our cat Socks decided to attack all the wires and cables connected to the computer. She completely destoryed the cable between the computer and printer and the cable for our internet access. So please accept my apologies for the lateness of this post.

I was inspired by one of my reader's posts on their blog, about where their love of lighthouses started and decided to post a similar story on my blog.

Although I can remember visiting lighthouses in Georgia and Florida when I was a kid, I can't really say I took much interest in them at the time. Mom and Dad always vacationed in Florida and we stopped to see the lighthouse in St. Augustine (pictured left) and Jupiter Inlet on the Atlantic coast. We also stopped to see Tybee Island in Savannah because my uncle lived on Tybee Island for a while. On the Gulf side of Florida, I remember stopping near Carabelle. I believe we saw the lighthouse at Crooked River and St. George Island. (The lighthouse at St. George Island collapsed into the Gulf in October 2005.)

It wasn't until much later, when I became an adult that I first realized my love of lighthouses. I remember visiting family and friends in South Haven, MI and visiting the lighthouse there. I am not sure what sparked my interest, but from there I went to see the light in St. Joseph / Benton Harbor, MI. Later I would visit the lighthouses in Michigan City, IN. With each lighthouse, my interest grew and I began buying books about lighthouses and their locations. A few summers later, I took a trip up the west coast of Michigan and saw every lighthouse from St. Joseph / Benton Harbor, to Point Betsie. I attempted to make it as far as the Grand Traverse Light, but for some reason which I now don't remember, turned back before reaching it. Of Michigan's west coast lighthouses, the one I remember the most was Big Sable Point. I remember this lighthouse most because after parking in Ludington State Park, you have to walk 1.5 miles over a sand dune trail to see the light. It was well worth the trip, but come prepared. Walking 1.5 miles isn't that bad, until it includes walking over sand dunes.

After that, the rest is history. I have now visited Lighthouses in 18 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Some day I hope to make it out to the Pacific Coast and Hawaii, but for now, I still have a lot to see on this side of the world.

Passport to the Coast

Yesterday while purging some items in preparation for our move later this summer, (Yes, we have accumulated a lot of junk in our eight years in Morgantown and I don't intend to pay for moving it.) I "found" my lighthouse passport. It was never really lost. I knew it was with our vacation brochures from last year's trip to Hilton Head Island, SC, I just happened to come across it again and it inspired me to write this post.

The United States Lighthouse Society has a Passport book, similar to the National Parks Passport Book, but smaller. The book has four spaces per page for lighthouse visitors to get a stamp of each lighthouse they visit. When the book is filled up, it can be mailed to the United States Lighthouse Society for a special gift. At last check, the gift was a patch that said "I've Seen the Light". THe completed passport is returned to the owner with the special gift.

To get a stamp, the United States Lighthouse Society asks that visitors make a $1.00 donation to the lighthouse before the lighthouse staff will stamp the passport. This helps staff maintain the lighthouses for others to enjoy.

Although the Passport is printed by the United States Lighthouse Society, non-member lighthouses may still stamp the passport. This happened to us at the Dunkirk Lighthouse in Dunkirk, NY. At the time, Dunkirk was a member of the American Lighthouse Foundation, a competing organization. Lighthouse keeper Dick Lawson stamped our passport while explaining the chief differences between the two organizations. He indicated at the time that Dunkirk would not be renewing its membership in either organization because he personally felt the competition between the two hindered the efforts of each organization to carry out its goals.

Anyway, the passport book can be purchased as USLS member lighthouses which have a gift shop. I believe we picked ours up at the Tybee Island Light in Savannah, GA. We have had it for about 5 years and hopefully will have the book filled up soon.

Looking Back: My Most Memorable Lighthouse Experience

My most memorable lighthouse experience came over Memorial Day weekend in 2001. I was at a low point in my life because of my divorce a year and a half earlier. I was trying to sell my house and move on, but I wasn't having much luck. My stress level had gotten to the point that I told my boss to take a hike (in more unpleasant terms) and lost my job. The only thing I had going for me was the support of my best friend Lori, whom I had known since high school some 15 years earlier. I decided to spend some time with Lori and we took a little weekend trip to Lake Erie in Pennsylvania. (Lori is originally from Pittsburgh.)


While we were in Erie, Pennsylvania, we saw three lighthouses. Presque Isle was the most interesting. It sits right on the beach, in Presque Isle State Park, but it is a private residence and not open to the public. At the time of our visit, it was also overgrown and not well cared for.

While sitting on the beach, Lori closed her eyes to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine. I began reading a poem I had written for Lori to thank her for her support and the many years of her friendship. When I finished reading the poem, I asked Lori to marry me.

My proposal took her completely off-guard, mostly because of the timing. She knew I was having a difficult time financially with selling my house and putting my divorce behind me. She didn't know that I had bought the ring before things got really tough and that I just hadn't found the right time to proposal. The experience became my most memorable when she said YES!(The poem was later printed in a book of poems we gave away as our wedding favors.)

What is a lighthouse?

With today's automated navigation aids, the definition of a lighthouse has blurred a bit. GPS Point of Interest (POI) files include several "lighthouses" that are not really lighthouses, but rather automated pier lights or navigation lights. (See my post dated November 18, 2008.) Even some of the older "lighthouses" fall into this distinction. For instance, would you consider the Calumet Harbor Light in Indiana to be a lighthouse? Calumet Harbor Light Photo. Would you want to spend all day driving around trying to find this "lighthouse" only to find out it can barely be called a structure, let alone a "lighthouse"? Sure it "houses" a light, but let's really stop and think about this for a moment.

Accroding to Merriam-Webster, a "lighthouse" is defined as "a structure with a powerful light for guiding sailors."(1) What kind of definition is that? A "lighthouse" was suppose to designate an actual residence that provided a home for the lighthouse keeper. The house and light did not have to be part of the same structure, but they had to be relatively close to each other. This makes even some skeleton tower lighthouses suspect to the definition of a "lighthouse".

For me, lights like Calumet Harbor, Indiana Harbor (Photo), and Bluffington Harbor (Photo) are hard to define as lighthouses. (Sorry, Indiana - I am not picking on you. You'll always be my home, no matter where I go).

So, for my readers, what actually does consitute a "lighthouse"? In your opinion, how would you define a "lighthouse"?

Notes:
1. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster: Springfield. 1997. p.430.

More Pictures

A Couple I forgot.



Price Creek Lighthouse ruins (2006) - Entrance to Price Creek near Southport, North Carolina
Destroyed during the Civil War and never rebuilt. Not accessible. Only viewable by taking the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry.



Oak Island Lighthouse (2006) - Oak Island, North Carolina

The Economic Impact of Lighthouses

We all know that lighthouses were built to prevent shipwrecks and save lives, but few of us have stopped to realize the economic impact of a lighthouse. Today, the impact of a lighthouse is strictly tourism, but when lighthouses were first built, they impacted the local economy through construction and later through increased traffic. A study of the economic impact that lighthouses had on the colonial and early American cities is what I intend to research for my PhD dissertation in maritime history. I am sure after I get started, my topic will expand beyond lighthouses and probably focus more on port infrastructure, but we will see how that works out. I start graduate school in the fall and my PhD will take roughly 5 - 6 years. After that, my dissertation will be reworked and published as a book (as required by most universities to obtain tenure as a professor).

I am interested in hearing thoughts on this topic and whether it would be of interest to anyone outside of the discipline of history.

Pictures

Okay, here are SOME pictures of the lighthouses I have visited. I try to get the most interesting point of view with my shots. For instance, the Whaleback Light photograph was taking while standing in a battery (for cannon fire) at Fort Constitution in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I also always try to get some sort of foliage in the picture to add interest. I have taken all of these pictures myself. Although some may look similar to pictures taken by others (Cape Neddick, Bass Harbor) it is because there are limited angles from which these lights can be photographed.



New London Light (2005) - New London, CT.
I am not 100% positive on the indentification of this lighthouse. It could be Avery Point. In either case, it sits on private property, but it sits right next to the road, so it is easily viewable.



East Tower of the Cape Elizabeth Light (2005) - Cape Elizabeth (Portland), ME
The West Tower has been deactivated. Picture was taken at dusk while dining at the Lobster Shack (a must if you are ever in the area - a Rachel Ray $40/day spot).



Cape Neddick Light (2005) - York, ME
One of Maine's most recognizable lighthouses. Sits on an island just off the mainland. This is really the only photo angle available unless you charter a boat.



Bass Harbor (2005) - Sits inside Acadia National Park in Maine
Closed to the public. Best viewed from the water. Photo angles are limited. This was taken after taking a short trail down to the rocky ledge and then going out on the rocks.



Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (2005) - Bristol, ME
Best known as the lighthouse on the back of the Maine quarter, this lighthouse is off the beaten path, but well worth the trip. I went inside the lighthouse, but did not climb it because it was fairly crowded and the lighthouse was not that large.



Cape Forchu (2005) - Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
The second foreign lighthouse I have visited. Foggy 90% of the time.



Whaleback Light (2005) - Kittery, ME
Actually viewed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire while standing in a battery at Fort Constitution.



Holland Harbor Lighthouse (approx. 1994) - Holland, MI
One of the first lighthouses I ever visited.



Portsmouth Light (2005) - Portsmouth, NH
New Hampshire only has a few miles of coast, but its enough for two lighthouses. Portsmouth Light sits on the grounds of Fort Constitution.



Niagara River Rear Range Light (2005) - Ontario, Canada between Niagara Falls and Niagara-On-The-Lake
A second identical (Front Range) light sits a few hundred yards away, but is 15 feet shorter. One of two foreign lighthouses I have visited.





Fairport Habor (2006) - Fairport, OH
I have a picture of the complete lighthouse, but because of the lighthouse's proximity to the street, it is not a very good picture. The picture captured the telephones lines and a stop sign.





Barcelona Light (2004) - Lake Erie Shore, NY between Dunkirk, NY and Erie, PA
Not one of the prettiest or one of my favorite, but it was still an interesting find.











Fort Niagara Light (2004) - Fort Niagara north of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY on the Niagara River
I have gone inside this lighthouse, but it was not open for climbing the day I went because of the wind.

Visiting Lighthouses

As 2009 begins to get underway, we have begun making plans to see which lighthouses we will visit this year. Since 2000, we have visited 81 lighthouses along the Atlantic Coast, Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes region. Last year, to my dismay, we only visited one lighthouse - Leamington Rear Range Light on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. In 2007, we did not get to visit any new lighthouses as Lori was pregnant with our son James. So after two years of not visiting but one new lighthouse, we hope that 2009 will be a much better year.

We are currently planning a trip in April of May and hope to see several at that time. We haven't decided exactly where we will head off to, but after six years earning my BA degree in history, we deserve a little relaxation. Right now, we am considering either traveling to the South Carolina / Georgia Coast; Key West, Florida, or eastern Michigan. Eastern Michigan would allow us to visit more lighthouses than the others, but we are also looking to enjoy some warmer weather.

Of the lighthouses we have visited over the last 8 years, here are some of my favorites.

Presque Isle, Erie, Pennsylvania - Not open to the public, but it has an interesting character to it. It also holds a special place in my heart as the place I proposed to my wife Lori in 2001.

Cape Hatteras, Buxton, North Carolina - What list wouldn't be complete without including America's tallest lighthouse. Actually all of the lighthouses along the Outer Banks of North Carolina are really nice. We signed a petition at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in 2002 to help a non-profit organization get ownership of the lighthouse. They finally succeeded in 2006 after a long court battle with Currituck County.

Chicago Harbor Light, Chicago, Illinois - There is just something about the atmosphere of Navy Pier in Chicago that makes this lighthouse special. It's unique structure is is interesting as well.

Seven Foot Knoll, Baltimore, Maryland - This is the first screwpile lighthouse We visited. Although it has been moved inland, the architecture and design are quite interesting.


Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth (Portland), Maine - Like the lighthouses of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, all of Maine's lighthouses are among my favorites. If you count the two towers of the Cape Elizabeth Light, Portland has six lighthouses.

Assateague Island, Chincoteague, Virginia - The red and white stripes of Assateague are unmistakeable. The lighthouse is not open to the public (or wasn't when we were there), but the National Seashore and Wildlife Refugeee are a wonderful place to spend a weekend. If your lucky, you will see the wild horses running along the shore.

I plan to post pictures of the lighthouses we have visited over the last eight years real soon. Hopefully, that will dress up this blog a bit and maybe get a few more followers.