Wants to Buy a Lighthouse

Congratulations on another great year publishing Lighthouse Digest. I believe it's one of the finest lighthouse publications in the world.

I will be retiring soon and I would like to buy a lighthouse to restore and maybe open a bed and breakfast and have it open to the public. Do you know a list or listings where lighthouses for sale might be listed? I would appreciate your help.

Dan Donnelly

22 Lakeview Terrace

Mahapac, NY 10541

Editor's Reply: There are only a handful of privately owned lighthouses in the United States. They rarely come up for sale, but when they do, you are sure to read about it in Lighthouse Digest. Over the past couple of years, we have written several stories about lighthouses that are for sale. The rest of the lighthouses in the United States are owned by the government, or in many cases by local communities and non-profit historical societies.

How About Sales?

I have been a customer for years and I recently had the opportunity to go to your store on the Harbour Lights Tour. I love your store, but have a suggestion. Why don't you have items on sale in your catalog, like you do in your store? I purchased several items that had been put on sale, but were not available in your catalog.

Thurston Bowden

La Mirada, CA

Editors reply: When a catalog item is discontinued from the catalog, it is generally because we can no longer obtain adequate quantities from the manufacturer to supply the thousands of catalog customers we have all over the world. When we print up millions of catalogs, we need to know that the company that manufactures the product can make the product fast enough for us to fill the orders. When we have a problem getting sufficient quantities the item is dropped from the catalog. However, we may continue to carry the item in our retail store, since the quantities required are smaller, or we are not concerned about delivery times. If an item is discontinued, we may put what is left on sale to make room for more new products. Because the quantities are limited, it would not be economically prudent to print up a sale catalog. However, if you visit our Internet site on the World Wide Web, from time to time, we have a sale page where a few items are reduced, but only while quantities last. You can also place your order on line for sale items, or for any of the many other wonderful products that Lighthouse Depot offers.

Found Light List

Back in the September issue of Lighthouse Digest, there was an article on the old Waugoshance Light, Michigan, by Jack Edwards. In it, he stated that this lighthouse may have had the first Fresnel lens in the Great Lakes. Years ago, in the Boston Public Library, I came across an 1854 Light List covering the whole United States. From it, Waugoshance Light was established in 1851 and had a 3rd order fixed lens. In the column, "When light refitted" it was blank, leading me to believe that the lens was the original equipment. The only U.S. Lighthouse which had a Fresnel lens before this was Navesink Light, NJ in 1841. The next lenses were in 1853 installed at Bergen Point, Passaic River Light, and West Point Light. The first two were in the far reaches of New York harbor, while the last was on the Hudson River. Others in the Great Lakes were fitted in 1854; Tibbets Point, NY (a major lighthouse); Black River Front Light, NY; Presque Isle Beacon, PA; Cleveland Harbor Beacon, Ohio; and Huron, Ohio, (these being small harbor lights). In fact, 1854 was the year that many lighthouses, although harbor ones, were fitted with lenses. I would presume this was due to the efforts of the newly established Lighthouse Board, but possibly as a test to see if the lenses were equal to a reflector light.

From the earlier 1849 Light List, which I got a copy of from the Nautical Research Center, the Mackinac Straits Lightship, which preceded the Waugoshance Light, is listed as a 61 ton vessel with one light of a large lamp with 12 cylindrical wicks.

Bob Fraser

Cohasset, MA

Lighthouses Enriching to the Wild West

While you may not realize it, Lighthouse Depot/Digest is enriching the lives of Wyoming people. In a state where we have a fraction of the services and opportunities available elsewhere, we particularly appreciate quality public television programming. That's why your underwriting of "Legendary Lighthouses" means so much to Wyoming Public Television and its viewers. Thank you for helping us enhance the quality of life in the Wild West!

Gregory T. Ray

General Manager Wyoming Public Television

Won't Go Back to Presque Isle

I found page ten of the December Lighthouse Digest quite intriguing. My wife, mother in law and I visited the grounds of PA's Presque Isle Lighthouse on Sunday, October 18, 1998 and apparently Mr. Guerrin wasn't there. There were, however, some very nice people who were "lighthouse sitting" on the beach and we spoke for quite a while with them. The beach, which appeared to be clean, was as close as we could get because there was a fence around the lighthouse with a sign that read, "Private Residence, Do Not Enter." There were also small signs guiding people to the beach so they could view the lighthouse.

Living in Ft. Wayne, IN, I'm not familiar with Pennsylvania politics, so I had no idea there was a Partnership problem-let alone a Partnership. It sounds to me as though Mr. Guerrin is the one with an axe to grind, or is just being childish. I suppose it would be childish for me to say that "Indiana has more lighthouses than Pennsylvania - Ha Ha", so I'll refrain.

In closing, please include us in the boycott of Pennsylvania's Presque Isle Lighthouse and please do let aficionados everywhere know as to when Presque Isle, gets off their high horse-or preferably-falls from it.

Keep up the good work.

William Hill

Controversy Continues

As I was reading the mail bag letter, "We get slammed, but we won't budge" (December 1998), I became so angry at Mr. Guerrein for the comments he made about "common lighthouse folks." First of all, people who spend their summers and vacations travelling the shores of lakes and oceans to visit lighthouses are anything BUT common, rather, they are people who have a passion for lighthouses and a desperate want to save them. They may not be affluent or have a lot of money to give away, but people who will come back year after year to visit your light and fill your donation box with dollar bills, (I am assuming you have one, or how else are you continuing to run your light?) Also, as far as cleaning up the beach, real lighthouse people will not come to your beach and leave trash behind, because they are respectful to all lighthouses and their surrounding area. Mr. Guerrein should think twice before alienating the people who really enjoy the lighthouse. After all, isn't that what it is for? I for one will not be visiting Pennsylvania's Presque Isle Light anytime soon.

Anonymous

Excessing Will Be a Can of Worms

The excessing of lighthouses in the Great Lakes is going to be a real can of worms. The Island Institute did a nice job in Maine, but we have three times the amount of lights to deal with. There is no single entity, yet, like the Island Institute to broker the lights. The U.S. Coast Guard wants one person to deal with when it comes to lights. Lottsa luck. The GSA and the DNR bottomland people are on the same kind of trip. Non-profits are nobodies in the pecking order and if they don't like your looks you won't be sanctified as an "approved" organization.

Jerry Biggs

Appropriate Cover

What an appropriate lighthouse for the cover of your December issue of Lighthouse Digest! White Shoals Michigan is so beautiful. I am a new lighthouse collector. My husband gave me a lighthouse for my 69th birthday last year.

All of my lighthouses and lighthouse memorabilia, I order from catalogs. I have not found a store in my area that sells lighthouses.

As I watched "Legendary Lighthouse" on PBS-TV, I thought what a wonderful part of our history is still standing.

Thank you for Lighthouse Digest, I enjoy it very much.

Margie Gomez

Bolivar Should Be On Doomsday List

Bolivar Lighthouse, Texas is under private ownership and deteriorating badly. It is a shame to see this happening. Do you know of any success stories that involved restoration of privately owned lighthouses? It would be helpful if you could recommend an information source that would know how this structure fell into private ownership. There must be something that can be done.

Fred Broussard

Editor's Reply: A number of United States Lighthouses are under private ownership. Many were auctioned off by the Coast Guard when they were no longer needed and fell into private ownership. Most have been restored and are maintained by their owners. However, a few have not and are in deplorable condition, many from a lack of funds by their owners. We have received a number of letters from readers about Bolivar Light. Not knowing all the details, we will do some research on it and issue a report in a future issue of Lighthouse Digest. If any of our readers can help us out with some in-depth information on Bolivar Light, we would appreciate hearing from you.

Dear Editor:

I really enjoyed your slide show of Forgotten Lights at the Great Lakes Lighthouse Festival in Alpena, MI. Of all the people I have met, you are the one who has truly used your love and interest in lighthouses to preserve and protect them for future generations. May God bless you and may your work go on forever. From all of the old Keepers and their families-Thank you, Tim!

Anna Hoge, Kalamazoo, MI

Editor's Reply: What can I say, but, "Thank you."

A Lighthouse Christmas

I enjoy every detail of Lighthouse Digest. I have enclosed three pictures for you to see. Near the "Littlest Lighthouse" is a switch plate of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse. I thought you might also like to see the Hatteras stocking - and, of course, my lighthouse tree with lighthouses all below in and on the shelves . . . My Fort Niagara Lighthouse teapot arrived on Dec. 24th, all in good shape, so we made it after all. Thanks for the extra effort to get it to me on time. A Happy Lighthouse New Year to all!

Marilyn Shields

Editor's Reply: We especially enjoyed the colorful display with the "Littlest Lighthouse." I can assure you that our staff was ready to drop by Christmas Eve. Everyone at Lighthouse Depot and Lighthouse Digest worked tons of overtime this past holiday season to do their best to get the holiday orders and gift subscriptions out by Christmas. We appreciate the patience of our many customers during that hectic time of the year.

Is It a Life Saving Station?

While trying to get a better picture of Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse, I came across what appears to be a Life Saving Station in Rockport, Massachusetts. I haven't seen any reference in anything that I have read about this structure. It is on a side street in Rockport. Does anybody know if this was a life saving station ? Any information would be appreciated.

Stephen J. Cloonan

Editor's Reply: Yes, the structure is indeed the old Rockport Life Saving Station. This Duluth-type station was a common design and many of this type still stand today. Today, this building is a private residence. To learn more about the U.S. Life Saving Service (which later became the U.S. Coast Guard) we would suggest the book, The U.S. Life Saving Service by Ralph Shanks and Wick York. This large book is available from Lighthouse Depot as item #91719 for $21.95 by calling 1-800-758-1444.

It was just a job, but oh, those memories

I have just received my second copy of this fantastic magazine. I must ask myself the question: why did I wait so long to subscribe? My interest in lighthouses goes back to my days in the Coast Guard, (1961-1969). While stationed in Boothbay Harbor, I had the opportunity to serve as a relief keeper at Ram Island Lighthouse, Burnt Island, and Cuckolds Light. As stated by Rev W. David Hoover, in the December issue, I too considered this just a job at the time. It was only after my Coast Guard days, that I realized how lucky I was to have been able to serve time at these lighthouses. During 1968-69 I was stationed on board the USCG Naugatuck, at Sault Ste Marie, MI. Part of our duties included transporting relief crews and supplies to Rock of Ages Light, Manitou Light, and Huron Island Light, all in Lake Superior. I also served on the USCG Eastwind in Boston for four and a half years. I have fond memories of my Coast Guard days, and your magazine helps enhance these memories. My wife and I watched the PBS series, "Legendary Lighthouses" and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks again for a great magazine, I will be looking forward each month to receiving a new issue.

Mike McFadden

Calamus, Iowa

Dear Friends,

I really like the lighthouses I have purchased to date. I am now 81+ years and in good shape. I started to go to sea in 1934 and continued at sea until 1975. I was a Master Mariner for many years, serving as a master with the Grace Line, Gulf and South America Steamship Co. as well as others. I hail from Connecticut. I have actually seen many of the lighthouses pictured in your catalog.

In WWII, after having been torpedoed, shelled and sunk in 1942, I made the longest successful lifeboat voyage made North and South Atlantic in WWII.

(Capt.) Robert H. Nichols

Sedona, AZ

Editor's Reply: We are proud to have you as a customer.

U.S. Lighthouse Service Vehicles

I am a retired senior chief from the United States Coast Guard and a collector of Model T Fords. I am currently conducting research into the motor vehicles of the U.S. Lighthouse Service in hopes of restoring a Model T truck to replicate the vehicles of the USLHS. Do you have any photographs in your collection that show USLHS vehicles between 1908 and 1930? Thank You.

George King III

859 Route 32, No. Franklin, CT 06254

Editor's Reply: Sorry. If we do have any old photographs, we wouldn't know where they are. All of our historic photographs are filed under individual lighthouses, tenders or lightships. We never thought much about creating a separate category for automobiles or trucks. We may have photographs of vehicles, but wouldn't know where to start looking. We know that some vehicles had a lighthouse on the car doors and some had the logo. If any of our readers can help with photographs, please have a duplicate made and send one to us and to Mr. King. Or, if you know where we can locate vehicle photographs of USLHS or USLHE vehicles of any kind please write to us. It sounds like we could create a whole new category and lots of interesting stories.

Dear Editor:

This letter is in regard to the picture in your December, 1998 edition (page 5) of the family on Boston Light waiting for E.R. Snow (The Flying Santa) to land his helicopter. You stated you did not know the year the photo was taken.

The woman in the picture is my sister, Mazie Freeman Anderson, who died in 1993 in Southwest Harbor, Maine. The baby Mazie is holding in the photograph would have been her daughter, Donna, born January, 1948. So this picture would have to have been in the winter of 1949. Mazie's husband, Russell Anderson, was a Coastguardsman stationed on Boston Light after the service was switched to the Department of Defense. Mazie's and my father was a Keeper serving when the lighthouses were under the department of Commerce. There were four of us siblings, and we spent summers and winter vacations on the lights, and the school terms we spent with our grandparents on shore. My fathers lights were White Island (Isle of Shoals), Petit Manan and Great Duck Island Lighthouses all in Maine.

The longest term of service was on Petit Manan and I remember the Flying Santa going over one Christmas. That was during the 30's, and it was, I recall, Capt. Wincapaw.

In recent years, I have learned that my father's great-grandfather, Joshua Freeman, was a Keeper at Portland Head Light in the days when Keepers were appointed by the President. Joshua was appointed by President Monroe in 1920.

Catherine F. Thaxter

Bristol, CT

This story appeared in the February 1999 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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